Wanting to make extra money, a man modified his car dashboard so he could fit six kittens inside and smuggle them to Singapore.
After being caught at the Woodlands Checkpoint, he has been sentenced to 18 weeks’ jail.
Source: Court documents via Shin Min Daily News
The criminal endeavour came about in March, when Malaysian Law Wei Bin, 29, contacted a friend about smuggling animals into Singapore, according to court documents reported by Shin Min Daily News.
A few days later, an anonymous person instructed him to send his car to a workshop in Johor Bahru (JB) for modifications.
He spent about RM2,000 (S$600) on these modifications, which took about two weeks.
Law started smuggling animals into Singapore in April.
When a delivery was needed, the unknown man would tell him at about 10am to get the animals from a location in JB around 8pm or 9pm on the same day.
He would then stuff the animals into the modified compartment in his car’s dashboard.
Source: Court documents via Shin Min Daily News
He would be given an address in Singapore where he would drop the animals off after he cleared customs.
On 6 June, Law was caught at the Woodlands Checkpoint at about 8.20pm during a routine inspection.
Court photos showed six black-and-white kittens concealed inside a narrow compartment.
Source: Jeffrey Sun on Google Maps
All the animals were still alive, and the case was referred to the National Parks Board (NParks) for further investigation.
The court heard that Law’s actions caused the animals unnecessary suffering.
Animals transported in cramped conditions are restricted in their movements and unable to assume natural postures. They are also in discomfort as they get pushed around by other animals.
The completely enclosed compartment was also unsuitable for transporting animals.
Additionally, all the kittens were found to be infected with Feline Panleukopenia Virus (FPV), a highly contagious virus spread through faecal and oral contact that can cause gastrointestinal illness.
Animals with FPV typically develop anorexia, lethargy, vomiting and diarrhoea, leading to rapid dehydration, sepsis, and eventually death.
The cramped and unventilated environment that they were transported in, as well as the unhygienic conditions, likely facilitated the spread of the virus.
Law eventually faced 12 charges under the Animals and Birds Act for importing animals into Singapore without a licence.
The prosecution said that he confessed to smuggling animals five times before his arrest, delivering between two and six animals each time, and requested a prison sentence of 28 to 34 weeks.
In mitigation, Law’s lawyer said it was his client’s first time breaking the law and he had done so to save up money to get married. He is now remorseful, having realised his mistake.
He was eventually sentenced to 18 weeks’ jail. He could have been given a maximum fine of S$10,000 and/or a jail term of up to 12 months on each charge.
Also read: Man Allegedly Smuggles Animals Into S’pore To Pay Family’s Debts, Gets 24 Weeks’ Jail
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Featured image adapted from court documents via Shin Min Daily News.
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