Six Japanese men have been arrested for stealing rare orchids from a park which is a World Natural Heritage site, local media and officials said today.

The six men aged between 50 and 60 were caught Sunday at the Miri airport in Sarawak after they arrived on a flight from Mulu, said Elbson Marajan, Miri forestry department chief.

State wildlife officers, acting on a tip-off, found 31 rare species of orchid from the world-renowed Mulu National Park hidden in their suitcases, he said.

"They were released on police bail on Monday but we have filed the case in court and we expect them to be charged either today or tomorrow," Marajan told AFP .

The six, believed to be Japanese according to Marajan and identified as such in local media reports, face up to one year in jail and a fine of RM10,000 if found guilty under the State Wildlife Ordinance, he added.

This was the second time in a week that rare orchids were stolen from the national park.

Marajan said a local woman was detained last Wednesday and questioned for stealing more than 15 species of rare orchids from the park.

Bird's nest theft

On the same day, wildlife officers confiscated more than 100 kilograms of bird's nests collected illegally from the limestone mountain caves in the park.

Seven local men aged between 30 and 40 years old were detained at the Miri airport with the nests, he said.

The department acted on tip-offs in both cases, which were still under investigation, he added.

The state law prohibits the smuggling of bird's nests, plants and biological speciments from the state.