A 60-year-old man was arrested today at Kampung Pantau-Pantau, Pulau Bum-Bum in Semporna in connection with turtle poaching on the island.

Sabah Wildlife director Augustine Tuuga said the Semporna Magistrate’s Court allowed a five-day remand on the man to facilitate investigation into some 100 turtle carcasses found scattered on the beaches of the island that went viral on social media last week.

“The state Wildlife Department is continuing the search for the other identified suspects in the days to come.

“The search is to cover several islands in Semporna waters,” he said in a statement here tonight.

Meanwhile, Tuuga said investigations are ongoing to locate the crime scene of the killing of a male elephant that was discovered floating in the Sungai Kinabatangan on Sept 25.

He said the search for the crime scene was being carried out both along the river by boat and on land by car.

“Inspection along Sungai Koyah, near the site where the elephant carcass was found floating, did not show any sign of elephant footprint, which means that the elephant did not come from the area,” he said.

He added several suspects had already been identified, while the public also assisted the department with information related to the case.

- Bernama