Agriculture Victoria is leading a crackdown on an illegal network trading in exotic pest animals, with the aim of preventing serious biosecurity breaches.
Operation DJANGO is a joint operation between Agriculture Victoria, the Conservation Regulator and Crime Stoppers Victoria.
Six people have been prosecuted to date, and two others have received infringement notices with fines totalling $105,600. This includes the two largest fines ever issued under Victoria's Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994, with one offender fined $54,000 with conviction.
To date Operation DJANGO has seized eight African pygmy hedgehogs, two boa constrictors, one ball python, one sulcata tortoise, one green iguana, two Indian star tortoises and one Chaco tortoise.
Operation DJANGO Project Manager Adam Kay said illegal animal traders are becoming more sophisticated and dealing with an increasing number and variety of species.
"We are cracking down on this illegal trade that puts a serious risk to native wildlife and often causes severe cruelty to animals."
"When smuggled into Victoria without proper quarantine, exotic animals can carry diseases that may spread to local wildlife, pets, and even humans." Mr Kay said.
Operation DJANGO also uncovered the illegal trading of native animals such as the saltwater crocodile, freshwater crocodile, green tree snake, olive python and the Darwin carpet python.
Wildlife trafficking is the fourth-largest organised crime globally, worth over $450 billion a year, according to the Wildlife Crime Research Hub.
The maximum penalty for illegally importing, possessing, or selling exotic pest animals in Victoria is a fine of up to $95,000.
