Man jailed after exotic animal trafficking gang exposed

Noticing a strange smell, officials opened a package from overseas to discover snakes, iguanas, turtles and tarantulas - many of them dead.

Two years later, a sweeping investigation into an illegal wildlife trafficking ring has led to a Queensland man being sentenced to jail.

Jesse Sayeg pleaded guilty to three offences related to smuggling exotic animals into Australia in Caloundra Magistrates Court this week.

It came after a multi-year probe spanning three states that exposed an illegal exotic wildlife trafficking gang, the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) said.

Officials were first tipped off when Australian Border Force officers noticed the smell coming from a package sent from the Philippines in March 2023.

They tipped off the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry which X-rayed the parcel, revealing its exotic contents.

Overall 15 reptiles and spiders were discovered in drawstring calico fabric bags - six iguanas along with three snakes, soft-shell turtles and tarantulas.

The mostly dead wildlife were in a consignment under a false name and misdeclared as toys, the federal department said.

The investigation into the trafficking gang that unfolded stretched across Queensland, Western Australia and Victoria, with search warrants uncovering many more animals.

An additional two hog nose snakes, 45 tarantulas, two scorpions, an African hedgehog and an alligator snapping turtle were among those discovered as part of the probe.

Sayeg was involved in the trafficking ring, admitting to illegally importing live tortoises and turtles in Caloundra Magistrates Court.

He was sentenced to nine months in prison.

"The illegal wildlife trade is the world's fourth-largest illicit transnational trade, after arms, drugs and human trafficking," the department's deputy secretary of biosecurity, operations and compliance Justine Saunders said.

"DAFF, along with other government agencies, are united in their commitment to eradicate the illicit wildlife trade and will take vigorous and relentless action to seek out those responsible, bring them to justice and stop this global crime."

Ms Saunders said animals introduced to Australia via illegal trafficking created "unacceptable biosecurity risks", and could be potentially devastating to agriculture, wildlife and even human health.

"Any breach of Australia's biosecurity laws is taken extremely seriously."

Individuals face a maximum of 10 years in prison and fines of up to $1.65 million or $8.25 million for a company, she said.

The two-year probe dubbed Operation Cascade was led by DAFF with help from the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water as well as Border Force and Victorian, Queensland and Western Australian agencies.