A NEW South Wales man has been fined $2000 and ordered to pay $9735 in court costs after being convicted of illegally possessing 29 native reptiles.
Neil Andrew Simpson (46) was apprehended at Perth Airport in April last year after officers from the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) intercepted the illegal consignment of reptiles which had been flown to Perth from Newman and were scheduled to be put on a flight to Sydney.
The consignment included a death adder, geckos of various species, dragon lizards, a blue-tongue lizard and pythons.
All the reptiles had been concealed in plastic containers.
There was also a second conviction in the Perth Magistrates Court, when a Nollamara man (33) was fined a total of $600 and ordered to pay $110 in court costs for illegally keeping a 2m south-west carpet python at his home.
Rikki James Piromalli pleaded guilty to possessing and keeping the carpet python in captivity without authority.
The snake is a specially protected species in WA.
Anyone who has information about the illegal removal of reptiles or notices any suspicious activity suggesting that reptiles are being illegally moved, should call DEC’s Wildcare hotline 9474 9055.