The Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment (DAWE) has joined with the NSW Police Force to break up a major wildlife smuggling syndicate.
The Police Force’s Criminal Groups Squad’s Strike Force Raptor and the Commonwealth Environmental Crime Investigators executed six search warrants across Sydney and the Illawarra over the weekend (25 June) arresting two men.
The men were charged with involvement in the international wildlife smuggling network through importing, exporting and possession of native and exotic wildlife, as well as other fraud offences.
The operation found and seized a range of native and exotic animals including turtles, pythons, lizards and deadly snakes such as a Death Adder and a Red-bellied Black snake.
Minister for the Environment, Sussan Ley said the arrests demonstrated the commitment to stamping out the illegal trade of wildlife.
“Organised criminals are seeking to profit from the high price that our unique wildlife fetches on the international black market,” Ms Ley said.
“This insidious trade puts lizards, birds and all manner of wildlife in awful conditions and has a terrible impact on our biodiversity.”
Head of Environmental Compliance at DAWE, Monica Collins said collaboration had also been strengthened with international partners to detect and disrupt wildlife trafficking syndicates operating within Australia.
“These offences carry a maximum penalty of 10 years imprisonment or a $210,000 fine,” Ms Collins said.
“Recent criminal investigations have uncovered significant links between Australian and overseas wildlife trafficking networks,” she said.
