An international university student studying in Australia has been convicted of multiple wildlife trafficking offences and sentenced to eighteen months in prison.
Ms Yinan Zhao appeared in the Brisbane District Court on 27 February 2025 to face seven charges of attempting to send native Australian wildlife by post to China.
Between 12 May and 1 November 2023, Zhao attempted to export ten individual packages containing 15 lizards from Queensland to China, with an estimated 'street value' of $74,207.
The lizards were packed in small boxes containing children's toys with some intercepted by Australia Post in Brisbane and others in Sydney after being X-rayed.
The successful prosecution was the result of a joint operation between the Australian Government Department of Climate Change, Environment, Energy and Water (DCCEEW) and the Queensland Government Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI).
Much of the offending took place in Queensland, while some offences occurred in New South Wales.
DESTI Compliance Manager Warren Christensen welcomed the prosecution and the minimum five-month prison sentence.
"Unfortunately, international students, such as those from China are often targeted through social media and other means to make easy money by smuggling wildlife," Mr Christensen said.
"This prosecution should serve as a warning to others considering smuggling animals to make a quick buck that they will be caught and face very serious, life changing consequences.
"This operation was an excellent example of state and Australian government agencies working cooperatively with Border Force and Australia Post to detect and prevent international wildlife smuggling.
"DETSI wildlife officers seized the packages suspected by Australia Post and Border Force of containing protected wildlife.
"We formally identified all wildlife recovered from the packages and assisted with the identification of Zhao and the execution of the warrant that led to her arrest.
"During her arrest, we also found more unlawfully held wildlife that were also being prepared for sale on Chinese markets.
"Sending reptiles in the mail is extremely cruel as they won't have access to food, water or fresh air for weeks and sadly, most of the animals will die before they get to their destination.
"Of those we intercept, many can never be released into the wild because we don't know where they were captured or if they have been exposed to disease while in captivity.
"We thank the Australian Government, Border Force and Australia Post for their efforts in assisting in detecting this crime and in securing this conviction."
Zhao was convicted on all charges and sentenced to 18-months imprisonment with a non-parole period of 5 months.
The successful conviction follows the prosecution of another foreign national, Mr Man Lung Ma, who was convicted of nineteen charges relating to twenty-nine separate attempts to export protected native wildlife, including five attempts from Queensland.
In November 2024 Lung Ma was sentenced to 3 years 6 months in jail, with a 2-year non-parole period.
Lizards attempted to be smuggled:
- 5 Shinglebacks
- 5 Blue tongues
- 2 Geckos
- 2 Tree skinks
- 1 Cunningham skink
