An illegal smuggling organization that was trying to sell native lizards and reptiles to Hong Kong for almost 1.2 million Australian dollars ($800,000) was busted by Australian authorities.
According to a statement from New South Wales Police, the operation, which began in September 2023, resulted in the arrest of three men in Sydney, ages 54, 59, and 31, as well as a lady, age 41.
Nine parcels carrying 59 live lizards headed for Hong Kong were confiscated over the course of the inquiry. According to the police, the criminal group caught these native Australian reptiles, kept them in subpar conditions, and bound them into tiny containers so they could be exported and made money.
Each of the lizards has a value of approximately 5,000 Australian dollars ($3,350).—Police NSW
The reptiles were valuable.
Each of the lizards has a value of approximately 5,000 Australian dollars ($3,350).—Police NSW
The four suspects will all likely face charges pertaining to the illicit export of wildlife when they appear in court in January. During the probe, 257 lizards and 3 snakes were found overall, both in parcels and at addresses connected to the gang.
The reptiles were then brought to several zoos and wildlife parks, where they were inspected by a veterinarian before being released back into the wild.
Each lizard is estimated by the police to be worth roughly 5,000 Australian dollars ($3,350), adding up to a total estimated value of 1.285 million Australian dollars ($860,000).
The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Hong Kong highlights the difficulties faced by wildlife conservation in the face of such illegal activities by noting the rising popularity of exotic pets in the area, including rare species like sugar gliders, hedgehogs, turtles, tortoises, snakes, lizards, parrots, and scorpions.
