KUALA TERENGGANU, Dec 14 — The Terengganu Veterinary Services Department (JPV) seized 78 goats, worth an estimated RM100,000, believed to have been smuggled from Thailand last night.
State Agriculture, Agro-based Industry, Food Security and Commodity Committee chairman Dr Azman Ibrahim said two men, a driver and his assistant who are in their 30s, were arrested during the 7.30 pm seizure.
“Earlier, the Terengganu JPV enforcement team had tailed a lorry from the Kelantan-Terengganu border around Tok Bali in Kelantan before detaining the vehicle in Jalan Penarik in Setiu about an hour later.
“The team found 78 goats placed in gunny sacks and there were no documents or permits for transferring the animals,” he told a media conference here last night, which was also attended by state JPV director Dr Anun Man.
Dr Azman said that based on preliminary information, the goats were meant to be delivered to the markets in several other states and the case is being investigated under Section 36 of the Animals Act 1953.
He added that this was the 12th time that the Terengganu JPV had seized smuggled goats, with a total of 521 seized so far with a total value of RM1.1 million.
