🇲🇾Return of the Lizard King: Malaysia's Wildlife Trafficker | 101 East
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 16 ธ.ค. 2024
- The illegal trade in wildlife is thought to be worth at least $19bn a year, a sum rivalled only by the black markets in drugs, counterfeit goods and people.
But while drugs and people smuggling are seen as profitable but extremely risky, the wildlife trade has become increasingly attractive to criminal networks because it is not only lucrative but the risks are far lower. The animals caught up in the trade - assuming they even survive the journey - often end up as pets, traditional medicines or food.
The US State Department says trafficking not only undermines conservation, it also threatens the rule of law and is a risk to global health. The concern is now so great that the trade has been designated a new form of transnational crime.
For more than two decades, Anson Wong has been the internationally recognised "face" of the trade; the 'Pablo Escobar' of animal trafficking, according to some. The Malaysian's notoriety stems from 1998 when he was arrested by US agents after they lured him to Mexico in a highly elaborate five-year investigation that became a best-selling book, The Lizard King . He was later convicted for smuggling endangered species and sentenced to 71 months in prison.
When Wong returned to Malaysia, his permits reportedly revoked, and many suspected he had returned to the business. In 2010, those fears were confirmed when Wong's bag broke open while he was in transit to Jakarta to reveal 95 boa constrictors.
Initially sentenced to five years in jail, his term was cut to 17 months on appeal and Wong was released in February 2012, despite evidence of his involvement in other smuggling cases.
Once again, he is back home in Penang, Malaysia. And once again, the Malaysian authorities say his permits have been revoked. Since getting out of prison, new reports have surfaced of his return to the illegal wildlife trade.
101 East goes undercover from Madagascar, to Thailand, to Indonesia and to Malaysia in an attempt to follow the trafficking trail and to infiltrate Wong's syndicate.
Our journey starts in Madagascar with the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, an animal protection group that has spent decades trying to save the very endangered tortoises that Anson Wong has poached. There are only 400 adult Ploughshare tortoises left in the wild. And the fear among Durrell's workers is that they will soon fall prey to traffickers. The organisation's top representative in the country, Richard Lewis, says Wong to them is enemy no. 1, and all employees are warned to be on the lookout for him.
In Madagascar, we speak to Sarah Sahondrarisoa, a Malagasy woman who in 2010 was convicted of trying to smuggle endangered Ploughshares from Madagascar to Malaysia for Anson Wong. While she served eight months in jail, Wong has never been tried for his alleged involvement.
A man who worked for years with Wong, who we call "X", helps us see into the mind of the Lizard King and shares what motivates him. He also explains the routes taken by the Lizard King and his associates to smuggle valuable species from his favoured spots in species-rich Madagascar to Malaysia. He too confirms that Wong is still in business.
In Madagascar's capital of Antananarivo, we also come across Mario, the son of a presidential candidate, and an exporter of seafood and reptiles. He admits to having helped Anson Wong several years ago with a few shipments. Believing 101 East presenter Steve Chao is a reptile dealer, he offers to introduce Chao to one of his contacts. That contact produces samples - numbers of Radiated tortoises (the second most endangered in Madagascar) and promises that with the help of customs officials on-the-take, he will be able to ship hundreds at a time to a destination of Chao's choosing.
The ease of buying endangered species underlines how despite 40 years of efforts by the international community to combat wildlife trafficking, poachers and smugglers continue to get away with their crimes, aided in large part by officials in various countries.
In Indonesia, Daniel Tanuwidjaja, one of Wong's trusted distributors, claims he pays off wildlife and customs officials in both Indonesia and Malaysia to allow for shipments from Wong. He also says that the Lizard King continues to deal, and that Wong's wife is increasingly involved in the business.
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Thanks so much Steve & Al Jazeera for exposing these people !! Great story and production.
this video deserve more view... people have to wake up now...
U guy r doing a really GOOD JOB! Keep it going!
This is really an eye opening..I don't know about this until I watch this great documentary! Awesome effort..thanks!
+22:50 This guy has been paid off, he's corrupt listen to his answer
thats right!
Geekz q
Such a tart answer.
He and his wife should be put in a cage filled with some fierce bengal tigers and venomous snakes. Since they seem to love animals so much.
and take their money and possessions.
Why are the penaltys so low for Ilegal Animal trafficking in Malaysia. If they catch you with a small amount of drugs your dead.
Malaysia should take this criminal seriously and put him behind bars for life ....for the sake of whole worlds wildlife...and also sack the corrupt Indian origin environment minister
What is malaysian govt upto? We should put this kind of insane man behind bars forever!!
Such an animal deserves 15 years in jail, but it is Malaysia, one can walk out in a few days.
Shame on Malaysia !
the only way to deal with this is using the death penalty if you are caught trafficking. problem solved.
yes, and take all the money from everyone ever involved and give huge fines. No money no bribes.
Disgusting, I am ashamed to be also coming from Penang. Why can't the Chief Minister Mr Lim Guan Eng do something about shutting down his operation?
Notify him then. Like what our environment minister said. They won't know this and that.
Steve chao my favorite journalist
I just don't get the people who buy those endangered animals. Why not just get a normal turtle? Can't you think of another status symbol?
nope. cuz... ego... there's no other reason than ego.
'the people' need to constantly find something to feed their ego to make feel great.
They can. And they get those things too.
uesue I think that some people do not know that these animals are endangered. They just get them because they are pretty.
Anson Wong..is..above..the law..well, at least not always, but the light sentence of 17 months raises suspicions. This video alone has illuminated a lot of things and can be used as evidence by the police, but the Malaysian gov. must surely have been protecting him, it's been almost a month after this video aired but still no news of the gov/police opening an enquiry
All sudah kenyang.
I wonder if anything has changed.
leader of Malaysian Indians,wow!
firstly,giving out stereotyped answers
then,laughing as though he's watching a sitcom
and then,caught having a script'd answer
making Malaysians n the community "proud"
How can somebody has the attitude to deal with animals. I can not imagine this. And I think only a couple of guys in my area and all over the world know dealing with animals is a currently and sad fact.
I'm often thinking about to change the world. But one person isnt able to change it,
We need more people like the actor of tis documentary movie. I want to say that I totaly agree what he says. I didnt know that much before i watched this movie. This film opened my eyes. Finaly I want to say: You can do what ever you want. You only need money to corrupt the system.
Misy tena mpivarotra tanindrazana tsy vanona mihintsy. Haren'i Madagasikara very noho ny Malagasy izay complice amin'io resaka io.
This is so sad. As a veterinarian, this was very difficult to watch. I had no idea that this went on. I will be mindful of the animals that I see from now on.
Welcome to Malaysia a develop country but with a 3rd world country enforcement mentality.
Malaysia is not a developed country.
@@danialpth Have you been to Malaysia?
Wendy Tan I am a Malaysian. I have lived abroad in the UK and also New Zealand. Our country isn’t a developed country, it is still developing.
I feel like even an innocent person wouldn't respond well if they were cornered like that. Should've been more subtle.
"Asked the government " @ 23:07 the corrupted one. So dismissive .
i'm surprised steve chao is still alive given what he does
A minister did not know what he doing great........
so sorry to see these wild lives......hope the government does something.....
As what i heard he helps the strays too when in need.
corruption.... sometimes really feel ashamed of being a Malaysian..
gallaharddutanker it's dangerous to your country existence.
that's a lot of money involved....
The good part is...he is somebody who love animal.....who feed them....who take care of them...even treat them when they get ill...a lots of money spent there..any of us cant do that way....and its not easy......but he goes against the law because of more money....its true that "I Got Greed"..
Pok Mamai sorry mate but the video didn't touch on the animals conditions... for all I know their cages look small and cramp...
26:00 That guy is the son of Voninahitsy Jean Eugene, a proeminent politician in Madagascar. Full name: Mario Amoy Voninahitsy. Gutted!
I meant at 8:01, not 26:00.
Good job jazeera.
Make me sad that it' s always someone from Antananarivo who destroyed all the provinces in Madagascar.
Blame the buyers too. If there are no buyers there sure be no porches.
The minister sounds corrupted thou
Please learn this word guys, Malaysia Boleh!
You could buy baby albino burmese pythons in 1993 for 100 dollars each. Now you can't hardly give them away.
I am the Lizard Queeeeeen!!!
He should be jailed for more than 10 years
Pablo Escobar from wildlife
but he produces the only capon (yim kai) and the best in Malaysia!
How about that?
A lot of Malaysian make a lot of money with the help of 'corruption tricks'.
I met Anson, a long time ago, and he is a good man.
Malaysia Boleh!
b-end knew about this but pretend didnt know
Malaysia great again
hope this channel can make documentation about malaysia RACIST university:UITM which is not only NOT boycott by the west.but get a lot of coperation and reconegtion by ALL top university in the world.what is going on??
Ask government : oww ha ha ha Malaysia 🇲🇾 government
He is a corrupt man
Steve chow is so cute
Why Malaysia are all Indian lol 😂
who cares go write on the shootings or current economic situation........................