SEPANG, The Malaysian Quarantine and Inspection Services Department (MAQIS) seized two kilogrammes of bird's nests worth RM8,000 without a valid import permit at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Terminal 2 last Thursday. Selangor MAQIS director Mohd Sobri Md Hashim said the bird's nests, packed into four parcels and carried by a local individual from Laos, were detected through the Customs Department's scanning machine at around 11.45 pm. 'The bird's nests were seized as they did not have a valid import permit,' he said in a statement today. Importing bird's nests without a valid permit from MAQIS is an offence under Section 11(1) of the Malaysian Quarantine and Inspection Services Act 2011 and is punishable under Section 11(3). If found guilty, offenders can be fined not exceeding RM100,000 or imprisoned for up to six years, or both. Mohd Sobri said MAQIS is committed to ensuring that all plants, animals, carcasses, fish, agricultural produce, soil and microorganisms entering Malaysia are free from pests, diseases and contaminants. Source: BERNAMA News Agency