Indian-Origin Man Jailed for Smuggling Puppies, Cat in Laundry Bags from Malaysia to Singapore

Last Update: April 25, 2023, 05:45 AM IST

Officers found some of the animals sealed in laundry bags and hidden in the upper compartment of the vehicle.  (Representational image)

Officers found some of the animals sealed in laundry bags and hidden in the upper compartment of the vehicle. (Representational image)

Gobisuvaran Paraman Sivan was sentenced to prison for illegally importing pets without a license

Media reports said a 36-year-old Indian-origin Malaysian was sentenced to 12 months in prison for smuggling 26 puppies and a cat in laundry bags.

Describing the case as “one of the most serious cases of animal trafficking ever”, Channel News Asia reported on Monday that the National Parks Board (NParks) said a puppy was found dead and 18 canines were later found dead. Died from parvovirus infection.

The report states that Gobisuvaran Paraman Sivan was sentenced to jail for illegally importing pets without a license and causing unnecessary pain and suffering to the animals in the process.

He smuggled 26 puppies and a cat in a lorry from Malaysia on October 18, 2022.

According to NParks, at the Tuas checkpoint on the Singapore side of the bridge link with southern Peninsular Malaysia, immigration officers stopped a Malaysian-registered lorry and found 27 pets hidden in various compartments of the lorry.

Officers found some of the animals sealed in laundry bags and hidden in the upper compartment of the vehicle.

Reports said other animals were packed in plastic containers behind the driver and passenger seats.

“Had these puppies been sold, canine parvovirus could have spread to other dogs in the community,” Enparks said.

Canine parvovirus is a highly contagious and relatively common cause of acute, infectious gastrointestinal illness in young, unvaccinated dogs.

Between October 2022 and March 2023, NPARCS and partner agencies have detected 19 cases of cattle smuggling.

read all Latest Buzz News Here

(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed)