A live echidna will be returned to its home and two people have been charged with a string of offences following the search of a property near Marburg, Queensland Police say.
On August 17, police from State Crime Command’s Firearms and Cannabis Team executed a search warrant at a Prenzlau address. During the search police located a number of weapons including four "pen guns" and a shortened .22 rifle.
Police also located a live female echidna being kept at the premises. It is an offence under the Nature Conservation Act 1992 to keep a protected animal and penalties can include a jail sentence.
Wildlife officers from the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection moved the animal to a safe facility with the aim of releasing it back into the wild.
A carpet python was also seized from the property.
A 29-year-old man has been charged with 12 offences including unlawful possession of category H, A and R weapons, possess shortened firearm, manufacturing weapons, possess dangerous drug and offences relating to the restriction on keeping or using protected animal class 1 and class 4.
A 30-year-old man has been charged with unlawful possession category H weapon, manufacturing weapon, possess utensil and restriction of keeping protected animal class 1 and class 4 offences.
Both will appear in the Ipswich Magistrates Court on September 13.
"We believe this is the first time a person has been charged in Queensland for keeping a class 1 protected animal under the Nature Conservation Act. Our officers are certainly used to locating weapons and drugs, but this was certainly a surprise for them," Detective Inspector Lance Vercoe said.
If you have information for police, contact Policelink on 131 444 or provide information using the online form 24hrs per day.
You can report information about crime anonymously to Crime Stoppers.
