MELAKA: Melaka police said that there is no "bee rustling" syndicate that exists in the state following the arrest of four individuals, including a married couple, for stealing beehives.
Melaka Tengah OCPD Asst Comm Afzanizar Ahmad said the suspects, aged between 23 and 28, confessed that they stole beehives to pay for drug supplies.
"They did so to buy drugs and were not part of a syndicate stealing hives here," he said when contacted here on Thursday (Sept 9).
He said the four were arrested during two separate raids at Kampung Alai and Bukit Baru here, recently.
ACP Afzanizar said the suspects were believed to be involved in the honeybee theft since last month at Melaka Tengah and Jasin districts.
He said police acted on the report lodged by a 55-year-old beekeeper from Kampung Bukit Kecil, Paya Dalam, here on Aug 19 that ten of his pollinating plants containing the hives worth RM5,000 were stolen.
ACP Afzanizar said the police also managed to confiscate parts of the pollinating plants with hives during the raids.
"The four had sold the stolen hives to another local beekeeper," he added.
ACP Afzanizar was asked to comment whether the recent theft has linked to a syndicate specialising in hive heists due to its lucrative trade.
The stolen hives belong to "kelulut", or the stingless bee species that can fetch a high price in the market.
Meanwhile, Seremban-based beekeeper Jessie Chan Wai Hoong said high quality kelulut honey like-Tora (Heterotrigona Erythrogastra) and Itama (Heterotrigona Itama) can be sold for more than RM100 per kg.
"Even my hives were stolen during the movement control order," she said. - Star
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