Sydney man jailed for mailing reptiles in popcorn bags

A Sydney man who tried to post native lizards, dragons and other reptiles out of Australia in bags of popcorn and biscuit tins has been sentenced to eight years in jail, authorities said Tuesday. The eight-year term handed down on Friday was a record for wildlife smuggling, federal environment officials said. A district court in Sydney gave the man, 61-year-old Neil Simpson, a non-parole period of five years and four months.

Investigators recovered 101 Australian reptiles from seized parcels destined for Hong Kong, South Korea, Sri Lanka and Romania, the officials said in a statement. The animals — including shingleback lizards, western blue-tongue lizards, bearded dragons and southern pygmy spiny-tailed skinks — were posted in 15 packages between 2018 and 2023. “Lizards, skinks and dragons were secured in calico bags.

These bags were concealed in bags of popcorn, biscuit tins and a women’s handbag and placed inside cardboard boxes,” the statement said. The smuggler had attempted to get others to post the animals on his behalf but was identified by government investigators and the New South Wales police, it added. Three other people were convicted for taking part in the crime. The New South Wales government’s environment department said that “the illegal wildlife trade is not a victimless crime”, harming conservation and stripping the state “and Australia of its unique biodiversity”.