SINGAPORE: A 28-year-old man was fined S$4,000 after he was caught trying to smuggle a leopard tortoise hidden inside a spectacles case into Singapore, the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) and Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said in a joint release on Wednesday (Oct 17).
Joey Law Swee Siang was also fined an additional S$3,600 after more animals were found at his home.
In the incident earlier this year in April, ICA officers at Woodlands Checkpoint detected a leopard tortoise “hidden in an eyewear case placed in the glove compartment of a Singapore-registered car”, the release said.
The case was referred to AVA for further investigations. During follow-up checks at Law’s home, four other illegal animals – an African spurred tortoise, a razor-back musk turtle, a Mekong snail-eating turtle and a snake-necked turtle – were found.
Law was subsequently fined S$4,000 for the illegal import of the leopard tortoise.
He was also fined an additional S$3,000 for the possession of the African spurred tortoise and S$600 for keeping the Razor-back musk turtle at his home.
Charges for the possession of the Mekong snail-eating turtle and snake-necked turtle were also taken into consideration during sentencing.
Three of these animals – the leopard tortoise, African spurred tortoise and the Mekong snail-eating turtle – are protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
(Clockwise from top left): An African spurred tortoise, a razor-backed musk turtle, a leopard tortoise and a Mekong snail-eating turtle. (Photos: AVA)
The animals have been seized and placed in the care of Wildlife Reserves Singapore.
“Animals that are smuggled into Singapore are of unknown health status and may introduce exotic diseases into the country,” said the two bodies in the joint release.
The keeping and trading of wildlife and wildlife parts or products is an offence in Singapore, added the release. Offenders could be fined up to S$1,000 and have the illegal wildlife seized.
In addition, offenders in possession of or found selling illegally imported CITES-protected species could be fined up to S$500,000 and/or jailed for two years.
