Woman fined over her role in illegal wildlife trade

The woman appeared in Melbourne Magistrates' Court this week and pleaded guilty to 7 charges involving 13 animals.

The charges related to the illegal receipt, possession and disposal of protected wildlife (including shingleback lizards and eastern fat tailed geckos), as well as the falsification of import/export permits, failure to comply with 3 import permits and breaching the code of practice for the keeping of reptiles in relation to 3 animals.

The woman was charged as part of Operation Pike, a major investigation by the Conservation Regulator into the illegal import, export, and trade of wildlife in Victoria, with assistance from Victoria Police and the federal Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.

In a related matter, a 21-year-old Noble Park North man fronted Sunshine Magistrates’ Court last month after he pleaded guilty to 67 charges of importing and exporting wildlife without a permit, failing to comply with conditions of import/export permits, contravene conditions of his wildlife licence, controlling protected wildlife and falsification of import/export permits. The Director of Public Prosecutions has appealed the Magistrate’s Court outcome, which is set to be heard in the Melbourne County Court in June 2025.

All wildlife is protected by law in Victoria, and it is illegal to import, export, and trade them without authorisation.

Offenders face penalties of up to $19,759 per charge. It is a serious offence to falsify documents and carries a maximum penalty of 10 years of imprisonment per charge under the Crimes Act 1958.

Anyone with information about illegal wildlife trade or other wildlife crime can make a confidential report to Crime Stoppers Victoria on 1800 333 000.

Quotes attributable to Kate Gavens, Chief Conservation Regulator

'Our wildlife laws and permit systems exist to protect the welfare of native animals and the Conservation Regulator will not tolerate any exploitation of these processes for the illegal trade of wildlife.'

'If you are aware of suspicious behaviour around wildlife, we encourage you to report it to Crime Stoppers Victoria. Even a small amount of information from the public can help fight wildlife crime.'