Man fined $7,600 for having illegal wildlife
He tried to smuggle endangered tortoise in eyewear case
A 28-year-old man was fined $7,600 on Wednesday for illegally importing and possessing wildlife.
The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) and the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said that Joey Law Swee Siang was fined $4,000 for illegally importing a leopard tortoise in April.
Law was also fined an additional $3,000 for possessing an African spurred tortoise and $600 for keeping a razor-backed musk turtle in his home.
Two other charges for possessing a Mekong snail-eating turtle and a snake-necked turtle were also taken into consideration during sentencing.
On April 13, ICA officers found a leopard tortoise hidden in an eyewear case in the glove compartment of a Singapore-registered car at Woodlands Checkpoint and referred the case to AVA for further investigations.
AVA checked Law's residence on the same day and found the four other illegal pets in his home. The animals were seized and placed in the care of Wildlife Reserves Singapore.
The leopard tortoise, African spurred tortoise and Mekong snail-eating turtle are protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Cites).
Those convicted of keeping and trading wildlife and wildlife products can be fined up to $1,000 and will have to forfeit the animals.
If the wildlife species is protected under Cites, those convicted of illegally possessing or selling such species can be fined up to $500,000 and jailed up to two years and forfeit the animals.
Refer to AVA's website or its SG TravelKaki mobile app for more information on bringing animals from overseas.
In a second case, a 24-year-old man was fined $2,000 after he was convicted of pet abandonment.
Muhammad Firdaus Samsudin was also given a six-month ban on owning animals, the AVA said on Wednesday.
It said it was alerted to a case of two abandoned cats in Nov 4 last year, after a resident found the cats at the rooftop garden of a multi-storey carpark at Block 504 Yishun Street 51.
The cats were in a pet carrier under a blue canvas sheet. Investigations found that Firdaus was their owner. The cats have since been rehomed.
AVA said it takes a stern view on pet abandonment.
First-time offenders convicted of pet abandonment can face a fine of up to $10,000 and jail time of up to a year.
The public can report animal welfare issues at AVA's website or call a 24-hour hotline ( 1800-476-1600).
Photo and video evidence will be helpful and all information shared will be held in confidence, said AVA.
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