November 24, 2009 01:52pm
A CALIFORNIAN man accused of smuggling 15 Australian lizards into the US by strapping them to his chest is owner of a reptile business who has made eight trips to Australia in the past six years, court documents allege.
Michael Plank, 40, owner of US-based Big Game Reptiles, allegedly told US authorities he collected the lizards from the wild while in Australia.
On November 17 he was stopped by US Customs officers at Los Angeles International Airport after arriving on a flight from Australia.
A search revealed Plank had two money belts strapped to his chest and inside were the 15 protected Australian lizards - 11 skinks, two geckos and two monitors, authorities allege.
The lizards were estimated to be worth $US8500 ($9220).
"He said that he smuggled them on his person because in Australia it is illegal to export reptiles without a permit," US Fish and Wildlife Service special agent Mona Iannelli wrote in an affidavit filed in the US District Court.
"Plank admitted that he placed the lizards into money belts which were strapped on his body to board his departing flight from Australia to Los Angeles."
Plank also allegedly admitted to smuggling lizards into the US from Europe in 2004 and 2007 and being owner of Big Game Reptiles.
The Big Game Reptiles website, Ms Iannelli noted, stated it was "a world leader in the breeding of Australian geckos" and its "collection consists of the most diverse bloodlines available".
The site offers an adult pair of soft spiny-tailed geckos, common in south-west West Australia, for $US1000 and babies for $US350 each.
Centralian knob-tailed geckos, found in the Northern Territory, are offered for $US500 each.
Plank is charged with fraudulently and knowingly importing lizards into the US and faces a maximum 20-year jail sentence and $US250,000 fine.
He was released on a $US10,000 bond and will be arraigned in a Los Angeles court December 21.
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,26393...from=public_rssIn conjunction with that, BGR is now closed.
Just fyi.