Malaysian police break up "Ninja Turtle Gang"
Malaysian investigators speak of the largest crackdown against illegal turtle trading in the last ten years: A member of the notorious smuggler gang "Ninja Turtle Gang" leads investigators to an illegal tent where precious pond turtles are kept. A total of 400 specimens can be rescued.
Malaysian authorities have dismantled an international smuggling ring named "Ninja Turtle Gang" and saved hundreds of pond turtles from being sold. A total of 400 animals worth approximately €750,000 were seized by the police and wildlife department representatives, according to the Wildlife and National Parks Department Director General, Abu Hashim.
"This is the largest seizure in the past ten years," Hashim stated. The turtles were intended to be sold in Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia. The authorities believe that the turtles were smuggled from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nepal.
The dismantling of the notorious smuggling ring "Ninja Turtle Gang" was significantly contributed by the tips from a driver of the group. He led investigators to a location where rare three-keeled pond turtles and Indian star turtles were kept. The commercial trade with the latter had already been banned in 2019.
In many Asian countries, turtles are considered auspicious. "Malaysia's strategic location in Southeast Asia makes it a hub for the smuggling of these exotic species," Hashim explained. Turtles are often smuggled into Malaysia illegally through land or in the luggage of airline passengers. According to the wildlife trafficking organization Traffic, Southeast Asian countries serve as sources, consumers, and transshipment points for wildlife from the region and the rest of the world.
The dismantled "Ninja Turtle Gang" was involved in an organized crime operation, as animal welfare groups criticize the smuggling of turtles on a global scale. These animals, including rare species like three-keeled pond turtles and Indian star turtles, are often subjected to inhumane conditions during transportation and are valued highly in international black markets for their perceived cultural significance and high prices.
