Australia
Live lizards wrapped as gifts: Customs find 15 animals in postal package
The live lizards were sealed in Tupperware and were to be shipped to the United States in one package
© Australian Border Force
In Australia, two men have been sentenced to several years in prison. They had tried to smuggle live lizards out of the country into the United States – disguised as gifts.
The animals were penned up in Tupperware, then wrapped in gift paper and tied with a bow. Then they were put in a cardboard box together with souvenirs and were supposed to go on a long journey. But they didn’t get far. The Australian Customs Service became aware of the package at a postal facility in Western Australia. When officers opened it, 15 lizards emerged.
Investigations brought the police to two 31 and 39-year-old men, who are now being tried. Both were sentenced to three years in prison and several months of house arrest. While the older of the two has to pay a fine of 40,000 dollars (around 26,600 euros), the younger one has to do 250 hours of community service.
Live lizards smuggled: men convicted
Both men admitted in court that they traveled from the US to Broome, Western Australia (WA) in March 2018 to capture native spiny-tailed lizards and sell them on in the US. Despite knowing that it is illegal to export native Australian animals, they shipped two packages containing the captured lizards to Miami, Florida, and Medford, Oregon.
“Wild animal smuggling is a global problem and one of the largest cross-border organized criminal activities,” said Shaun Sr., chief of the Department of Customs in a press statement. “Shipping animals in parcels is illegal, cruel and inhumane. Many animals smuggled in this way do not survive.”
The lizards were disguised as gifts and sent in a box with souvenirs
© Australian Border Force
In Germany, too, customs always finds what they are looking for. In December 2020, customs officers at Cologne/Bonn Airport found 26 species-protected box turtles, tree worms and horned lizards from Mexico hidden in packages with Mexican sweets, souvenirs and toys. Sewn into small rag dolls and without adequate ventilation, ten of the reptiles did not survive the transport, which violated animal welfare.
Both men admitted in court to capturing the native spiny-tailed lizards to resell in the United States
© Australian Border Force
Many animals and plants are endangered or threatened with extinction. Therefore, according to the Washington Convention on the Protection of Species, around 5,800 animal and 30,000 plant species and the products derived from them are protected. Nevertheless, according to the most recent statistical survey, customs made a total of 1,200 hits in 2020 and confiscated almost 144 kilograms and 119,000 animals and plants or objects made from them.
See the video: it crunches and cracks. A video from the Philippine Customs shows a total of 21 illegally imported luxury cars being scrapped. With the measure, which is likely to make car fans’ hearts bleed, the state is taking a stand against smuggling.
Swell: Australia Border Force, General Customs Directorate