P700K worth shark fins seized from General Santos trader

GENERAL SANTOS CITY, Philippines — The police seized P700,000 worth of dried shark fins found in the house of a clandestine trader in Barangay Calumpang here Sunday.

Brig. Gen. Alexander Tagum, director of the Police Regional Office-12, told reporters Tuesday Arjun Tabudlong Polancos, who was not home, is now subject of a search by the General Santos City Police Office.

Tagum said a raiding team found 100 kilos of dried shark fins in his house in Purok Carmenville in Barangay Calumpang here.

The team that carried out the search operation, premised on tips from people aware of his illegal business, was armed with a warrant from the Regional Trial Court Branch 58 here.

Polancos shall be prosecuted for violation of Republic Act 9147, also known as the Philippine Wildlife Resources and Conservation Act, that outlawed collection and sale of by-products and derivatives from endangered wildlife species.

The General Santos City police force is now trying to extract from members of the Polancos family essential information that would lead to the arrest of the suppliers of the illegal merchandise found in their house.