KEY POINTS:
Malaysian marine police have seized 1272 protected animals believed to be bound for the cooking pot in countries including China, Thailand and Hong Kong.
The live animals, which were packed into 72 plastic containers and 40 wooden crates, were discovered in a jungle cabin in the central Pahang state.
The animals - 1244 clouded monitor lizards, 17 water monitor lizards and 11 pythons - are all protected and believed to be worth $250,000. They were handed over to the state wildlife department.
