Malaysia: Man tries to cart RM100,000 worth of agarwood into the country, caught

ZULIATY ZULKIFFLI New Straits Times 4 Dec 16;

BUKIT KAYU HITAM: The Border Security Agency has foiled an attempt by a local man to smuggle 14kg of gaharu or agarwood worth RM100,000 into the country today.

Its state commander Abdul Latif Abdul Rahman said the 49-year-old man and his Vietnamese girlfriend, aged 22, were travelling back from Thailand, when they were flagged down at the agency’s check-point about 3.15pm. Abdul Latif said upon inspection, his men found the precious and endangered wood in the man’s Kia Sorento sport utility vehicle.

“We believe the high value wood is meant for fragrance production and we have handed over the case to the Forestry Department for further action,” he said.