An Australian-based prison syndicate plotted to smuggle a whole lot of native reptiles into Hong Kong as a part of a murky commerce in stay animals, police alleged Monday.
Detectives started investigating the community in September final yr, after intercepting 9 packages certain for Hong Kong with 59 stay lizards stashed inside.
They allegedly found greater than 250 lizards after looking quite a few properties scattered throughout Sydney, in addition to a small variety of snakes and unhatched eggs.
Water monitor lizard ‘Aberdeen’ present in Hong Kong after lacking for practically a fortnight
Police mentioned the captured reptiles have been “kept in poor conditions” earlier than they have been “bound in small containers” to be offered in Hong Kong.
Photos taken by police confirmed writhing lizards piled on high of one another in small plastic bins stuffed with dirty pellets.
Another picture confirmed a snake curling round a clutch of eggs in a transparent plastic tub filled with wooden chips.
An Australian-based prison syndicate plotted to smuggle a whole lot of native reptiles into Hong Kong as a part of a murky commerce in stay animals. Photo: AFP
Each lizard may fetch as a lot as Aus$5,000 (US$3,360) on the black market, police mentioned, giving the whole seized haul a avenue worth of as a lot as Aus$1.2 million (US$8 million)
Police have charged three males allegedly concerned within the “criminal syndicate” – aged 59, 54, and 31 – in addition to a 41-year-old girl.
Hong Kong is a serious world transit level for the unlawful commerce in stay animals, in line with the World Wildlife Fund.
