KL airport thwarts attempt to smuggle 6 live gibbons

An attempt to smuggle six live gibbons through Kuala Lumpur International Airport's (KLIA) Terminal 1 has been thwarted by the airport’s aviation security team.

The team first detected a suspicious image on the scanner during a routine baggage screening process, according to KLIA's Facebook post on Monday (June 8).

In photos posted in the same post, the gibbons, a type of small apes, are shown crammed into a bag.  

Another photo shows an airport security officer holding a gibbon about the size of a small plushie toy.

"From the sharp eyes at the scanner to the seamless coordination on the tarmac, this rescue proves that a united airport community can truly make a difference in the global fight against illegal wildlife trafficking," said KLIA in the post.

The airport security team worked with the Wildlife and National Parks Department and airline partners in locating the passenger and stopped the smuggling attempt before the aircraft departed.

KLIA did not say if the passenger attempting to smuggle the gibbons was arrested or where the person was flying to.

Gibbons are one of the most threatened species worldwide according to the UN, with all 20 species listed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature red list of threatened species.

Significant threats to gibbons include habitat loss, hunting, poaching and the illegal pet trade.

In May, a woman was arrested at KLIA for smuggling four siamang gibbons worth RM120,000 (S$38,000), reported Malaysian news outlet New Straits Times.

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helmy.saat@asiaone.com