Decorative tiger skin seized during drug raid

Tuesday June 8, 2010

MUAR: A joint enforcement team on prevention rounds found a tiger skin, complete with head and claws, in a house near Bakri.

Muar marine police base chief Asst Supt Abdul Lajis Tahir said the tiger skin had been well-preserved and turned into a decorative carpet.

He said the team from the marine police, Muar narcotics branch and Muar Wildlife and National Parks Department raided the house last Saturday.

Initially, the team had been tipped off about drug-related activities at the house. But upon entering the premises at 3.10am, the officers found a carpet made from the skin of a whole tiger.

“It is against the law for anyone to keep tigers or tiger parts without a permit, so we seized the tiger skin,” ASP Abdul Lajis told reporters at the Muar marine police jetty yesterday.

He said two men, aged 32 and 38, who were in the house were detained to assist in investigations, adding that they also tested positive for drugs.

Initial investigations showed that the tiger skin came from a neighbouring country.

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/6/8/nation/6418353&sec=nation

http://www.bigcatrescu.eorg