• Unprecedented sentence in wildlife smuggling case

• Other accomplices convicted in the scheme

An Australian court sentenced a Sydney man to eight years in prison after convicting him of attempting to smuggle native reptiles abroad by mail, hiding them in popcorn bags and biscuit tins.

Authorities said the ruling is the harshest of its kind in wildlife trafficking cases, a record-setting decision. The 61-year-old man, Neil Simpson, was given a minimum non-parole period of five years and four months.

Investigators recovered 101 Australian reptiles from parcels destined for Hong Kong, South Korea, Sri Lanka, and Romania.

The seized animals included rare lizards and bearded dragons, sent in 15 shipments between 2018 and 2023.

According to an official statement, the animals were secured in small cloth bags, then concealed inside popcorn bags, tins, and handbags before being placed in cardboard boxes.

The accused also tried to involve others to send the parcels on his behalf, but government investigators and the New South Wales police tracked him down and uncovered the network.

Three other people were convicted for their roles in the case, while the state’s environment department emphasized that illegal wildlife trade harms conservation efforts and threatens Australia’s unique biodiversity, especially in Sydney.