Wildlife racket arrest

SEVEN blue-tongued lizards, dubbed Australia’s most romantic because they mate for life, have been saved from illegal international wildlife traffickers after a global investigation led to a raid on a suburban Aussie home.

The lizards, one of which was an albino, were likely to suffer the same fate as others found stuffed into children’s dinosaur toys in a string of failed attempts to smuggle them out of the country to wealthy customers in Hong Kong.

Seven packages of toys were seized by Australian Border Force (ABF) officers at an Australia Post gateway facility headed for an address in Hong Kong, sparking an extensive global investigation.

Law enforcement officers raided a property in Hong Kong seizing four lizards and that was followed by a raid in Victoria by a taskforce from Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, the ABF, Victoria Police and the Victorian Department of Land, Water and Planning.

The raid targeted a house in Melbourne’s emerging suburb of Tarneit where the seven lizards were found and a 26-yearold man was arrested.

He has been charged five offences. He was released on conditional bail and will appear in court in April next year.

The seven seized packages which were destined for Hong Kong had been declared as kids toys.

The live lizards were discovered among toy dinosaurs in what appeared to be an attempt to circumvent X-ray technology.

Environment Minister Sussan Ley said the quick response of this operation was a great example of communication and co-operation between Australia’s border and law enforcement agencies.

“This is an incredibly cruel and insidious trade, which is why it is so important to have close working relationships between agencies in order to identify and dismantle criminal networks involved in illegal wildlife trafficking,” she said.

“This outcome is a wonderful example of how co-ordinated responses can result in swift arrests.”

Wildlife trafficking is now one of the most profitable, illicit markets in the world, and Australia’s exotic and unique animals are big ticket items. Lizards sell for up to $20,000.

In the past two years, eight people have been charged with dozens of offences and hundreds of animals have been rescued.

Wildlife trafficking carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in jail or a $222,000 fine.