MELAKA: Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) personnel here managed to prevent a bid to smuggle hundreds of songbirds across the Straits of Melaka.

       MMEA Melaka and Negri Sembilan director Maritime Captain Haris Fadzillah Abdullah (pic) said 1,100 Oriental magpie-robins (Copsychus saularis) were rescued during an operation along the shores of Alai here on Wednesday(Aug 25).

       "We acted on a tip-off before intercepting a speed boat loaded with the birds. The suspects managed to escape by fleeing into a nearby swampy area upon sighting my officers," he said on Thursday (Aug 26).

       The flourishing bird market in a neighbouring country has fueled the illegal trade.

       Haris Fadzillah added that the estimated value of the confiscated birds is about RM44,000.