Some 115 venomous Asiatic cobras were seized by Malaysian police authorities from a wildlife trader who is now under police interrogation. The snakes were found in his pet shop locked in several cages in northern Perlis state, Simpang Empat, official said Wednesday.

The shop's owner was arrested by the Malaysia's Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) when his shop was raided on Monday.

According to legal and enforcement division deputy director Celescoriano Razond, the 55-year-old shop owner will be charged with animal cruelty law for illegally possessing a protected animals.

Razond also added that if the shop owner will be found guilty, he will be sentenced to jail for three years or fine of $901 for the act for illegal possession of snakes and $1,502 for cruelty offense.

Razond said, "His log book stated that he had only about 1,400 snakes in his shop. However, we found he had well over 1,500."

"The snakes were crammed into several cages. There were up to 30 snakes in a single cage," Razond said.

Razond also added that the Malaysian authorities believed that the trader was a smuggler and he would take the cobras to China.