Customs arrests and charges man over fishy business

[herptrader]

http://www.customs.gov.au/site/page.cfm?c=10759

Customs arrests and charges man over fishy business - Wednesday, 27th August 2008

Customs has arrested and charged an international airline passenger for allegedly smuggling live fish into Australia.
A 34-year-old Chinese man will face Melbourne's Magistrates Court tomorrow
(28 August) charged with importing a regulated live specimen under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation ACT 1999 and making a false declaration to Customs.
The man arrived on a flight from Hong Kong on 21 August and was referred to Customs following a quarantine x-ray examination.
During the baggage examination Customs officers allegedly located a cardboard box containing 13 live fish in plastic bags.
The fish have been identified by Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts as specimens of the family Loricariidae (armoured catfish).
The fish were euthanased as they are a prohibited species in Australia and are regarded as a serious environmental threat.
Acting Customs National Manager Investigations Kaylene Zakharoff said Australia had strict laws governing the import of live animals.
"This is a good example of Customs and AQIS working together at the border to protect Australia and restrict unregulated international trade in wildlife."
The maximum penalty for importing a regulated specimen is 10 years imprisonment and or $110,000

 

[hornet]

prohibited species? Plenty of people breed various Plecs in aust.

 

[pythons73]

Funny looking,im glad Aus are really good at trying to protect our native fauna,these a....holes should go 2 jail,none off this slap on the wrists stuff.

 

[andyscott]

prohibited species? Plenty of people breed various Plecs in aust.

I do know that the Zebra Plecos in the pics, are either very rare or illegal. I was offered one for $2000, many years ago.
Even if they are legal, they may be rare enough to try and smuggle in and thats Illegal.

 

[-Peter]

I used to keep several Panaque species years ago including P. [FONT=arial,sans-serif][SIZE=-1]nigrolineatus[/SIZE][/FONT]. There were a lot of fish available on import then that are not now. They were very expensive at the time, about $150 ea in 1980.

 

[slim6y]

How do you stop a trade when there's such big money involved?

If that's the case - these fish here were worth $26000 (assuming each sold for $2000).

One positive - at least they're not eating them...

Big negatives - wild populations have probably been decimated!

Trade in wild caught animals is always going to be an issue - I'd say this one being caught is a one out of how many are getting through?

 

[gillsy]

I do know that the Zebra Plecos in the pics, are either very rare or illegal. I was offered one for $2000, many years ago.
Even if they are legal, they may be rare enough to try and smuggle in and thats Illegal.

They are no illegal to have, but illegal to import.

 

[butters]

All of the species shown in that picture either are or have been bred in Australia and they would all sell retail for less than AU$1000.00.

Bit of a different scenario than with exotic reptiles in that they are already here and legally kept and traded. As stated above it is just illegal to import them as they are not on the permitted import list .

With exotic reptiles its illegal to even have them.

Cheers Andrew

 

[mrmikk]

Congrats to ACS & AQIS, hopefully the courts will reward their efforts with very hefty penalties, including jail time.

 

[gillsy]

Congrats to ACS & AQIS, hopefully the courts will reward their efforts with very hefty penalties, including jail time.

Joking right, they'll get a small fine if that.

 

[mrmikk]

Joking right, they'll get a small fine if that.

I live in hope! (Adjusts rose-coloured glasses)

 

[pythons73]

Thats what i hate in this situation,some1 that illegally smuggles animals of all sorts,gets a slap on the wrist,maybe a fine,why the hell dont the majestrate send them 2 jail,ppl that smuggle drugs,most go 2 jail,these idiots are just as bad,even worse in some cases,set a example,lock em up.

 

[Dipcdame]

lets hope they lock the guys up and throw away the key!!!!!!

 

[Fireflyshuffle]

the fact is, these things dont pop into their luggage "accidently" well at least only the corby incident. but in events such as this, where its obvious the owner of the luggage new it was in the bag, then yes!!! they should go to jail!! They new what they were doing the whole time, they new what the penalty would be if caught, so jail them.. They think they can get past customs, and when they do, they laugh about it coz they didnt get caught. well instead of them still laughing when they just get a fine, JAIL THEM. Im sure it will never happen again once they know theyve been fresh meat once before.. no one wants to go back down that track

 

[gillsy]

Thats what i hate in this situation,some1 that illegally smuggles animals of all sorts,gets a slap on the wrist,maybe a fine,why the hell dont the majestrate send them 2 jail,ppl that smuggle drugs,most go 2 jail,these idiots are just as bad,even worse in some cases,set a example,lock em up.

I think your on drugs, to smuggle fish in is no where near as bad as bringing drugs in.

These fish are legal here, just illegal to import.

Yes he broke the law, but wake up. They weren't imported in bad conditions like some birds are.

I think people need to get off there high horse and stop acting like this is a huge deal.

Fine him, get on with it. Jail time isn't needed.

 

[No-two]

Andyscott, these fish have been banned from the import list but they are legal to own and breed, I owned some a couple of years back.

 

[MDPython]

I dont think jail time should be enforced in this case either, these fish are avalible everywere in aus...

Should actualy be worring yourselfs alot more over the many exotic reptiles coming through, that pose a huge threat to our natives...

Don't here of these busts often enough imo and when you do it's usally something measly and pethetic like this...

MD

 

[pythons73]

No its not near as bad,but whoever TRYS to illegally import something no matter what it is,shouldnt just get a fine,im having my opionion gillsy you dont need 2 attact me.By the way im not on drugs.

 

[Oldbeard]

the fact is, these things dont pop into their luggage "accidently" well at least only the corby incident.

:lol::lol::lol::lol::shock::shock::shock::shock::lol::lol::lol: Thanks for that i needed a laugh on this freezing cold morning
I agree with gillsy

 

[cris]

Should actualy be worring yourselfs alot more over the many exotic reptiles coming through, that pose a huge threat to our natives...

Its pretty foolish to suggest a fish is automatically less threat than a reptile, IMO overall fish are probably far worse if anything, they have certainly caused far more damage than exotic reptiles so far. Sure plecos may not survive in melbourne, but the laws are for Australia, IMO they should take as much money from him as they can get and send him home with a boot up his...