16,000 python skins destroyed

The 16,000 pieces of python skins alleged to have been exported illegally to Singapore in 2007 have been destroyed by the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority (Ava) of Singapore. According to documents sent by the importer from Singapore, AVA of Singapore had destroyed the snake skins as they were considered forfeited under the Endangered Species (Import and Export) Act of Singapore and the forfeiture was upheld by the High Court of the republic in 2008. “The python skins have since been destroyed,” said a statement from Ava of Singapore made available to The Borneo Post here yesterday. The letter was addressed to the advocate of the importer, with a carbon copy of it sent to Singapore’s attorney-general’s chambers. The importer, Murugesh R Ramu, in his letter to Post stressed that he was seeking legal assistance on the matter. When asked for its comment, the Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) reiterated that it did not have the ownership or jurisdiction over the seized snake skins. “Therefore, we have no say over how the Singapore authorities handle the matter,” it said in a statement. Meanwhile, the police were still investigating the alleged loss of documents from SFC’s office, which were later used to export the snake skins back in 2007. Post first published the article on the 16,000 pieces of confiscated Borneo Python on Dec 22, 2010 while the second article was published on Dec 28, 2010. The estimated market price of the seized items was said to be at least S$200,000 (RM500,000). In our previous reports, SFC had issued a statement that the transhipment of the python skins which was seized by Ava of Singapore was as a result of the notification of theft of the Convention on International Trade on Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Permit No.005400 posted by SFC to CITES Secretariat at Geneva on April 12, 2007. The CITES Permit No.005400 which was reported lost from SFC’s office here was subsequently used to export snake skins which were later seized in Singapore on July 4, 2007. When asked his comments after the news was published by Post on Dec 22, State Commissioner of Police Datuk Mohmad Salleh promised that the police would leave no stone unturned. A source from SFC hoped that the police could nail the culprit soon for having smeared the name of SFC in the eyes of the international community. It added that Murugesh had repeatedly requested a retrospective permit to be issued to enable him to legitimise this illegal transshipment of python skins. However, SFC repeatedly turned down his requests because of absence of means to verify the origin of the seized skins. Besides, the CITES Secretariat of Geneva had also been advised against the issuance of such a retrospective permit. “Mr Ramu has been advised to seek redress from the exporter who had perpetrated the illegal transshipment in the first place,” added SFC’s statement. Among others, the documents alleged the python skins had been exported by a Sarawak-based company in 2007. It is understood that the buyer had since sought various means to legalise the shipment. The documents also cited that a police report had been made by SFC regarding the loss of the CITES permits and security stamp from its office.