MELAKA (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - Authorities have foiled an attempt to smuggle about 300 rare and exotic birds out the country - but at a high cost.

Officers from the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency's (MMEA) Kuala Linggi base intercepted three Indonesians in a boat about five nautical miles from Tanjung Gabang waters near Selangor at 3pm on Tuesday (Jan 16), said agency director Maritime Captain Amran Daud.

He said the trio were attempting to smuggle about 300 birds, including the near-extinct Javanese chirping bird into Indonesia.

"Unfortunately, the smugglers flung the cages containing the live birds into the ocean upon seeing the MMEA vessel," Captain Amran said.

He said the three suspects did not have identification documents and the case has been referred to the Wildlife and National Parks Department for investigation under the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010.

Capt Amran said the wildlife smugglers are believed to have the sourced the birds from Vietnam and travelled overland through Thailand and Malaysia, to be sold in Indonesia.