SINGAPORE, 28 Feb 2018:
Fischer’s Lovebirds are among the 121 live birds in 10 boxes seized by the Singapore authorities on Monday Feb 26 from a Malaysian-registered tour bus at Woodlands Checkpoint.
In a joint statement today, Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA), Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority (AVA) and Health Sciences Authority (HSA) said the boxes were concealed in a compartment at the right side of the bus, driven by a lone 30-year-old man.
Other live birds found were Red-whiskered Bulbuls, White-rumped Shamas and Spotted Doves.
The authorities said the Fischer’s Lovebird is a protected species under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
The man, live birds and bus were handed over to AVA for investigations.
Under the Endangered Species (Import and Export) Act, offenders can be fined up to S$50,000 per scheduled species (not exceeding a maximum aggregate of S$500,000) and/or imprisonment of up to two years upon conviction.
From the same bus, the authorities also found three black bundles in red plastic bags, which were subsequently found to contain 4,500 sachets of chewing tobacco, at the luggage compartment.
The import and sale of chewing tobacco is prohibited in Singapore.
The sachets of chewing tobacco were referred to HSA for investigation, said the statement.
Any person who is convicted of importing chewing tobacco is liable to a fine of up to S$10,000, or imprisonment of up to 6 months or both for the first offence, and to a fine of up to S$20,000, or imprisonment of up to 12 months or to both for the second or subsequent offence.
– Bernama