Melbourne alleged reptile smugglers: accused lizard peddler Sai Kit Cheng contests charges
An accused reptile smuggler has faced court after he was busted in connection to a sophisticated alleged smuggling racket with links stretching across Melbourne’s southeast.
South East
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A key player in an alleged Melbourne reptile smuggling racket will contest charges he handled and committed cruelty against several protected lizards.
Sai Kit Cheng is facing 26 charges including multiple counts of knowingly dealing with the proceeds of crime, disposing of protected wildlife, possessing protected wildlife, animal cruelty and importing wildlife without a permit.
Police seized almost $500,000 believed to be the proceeds of crime from a Clayton property allegedly linked to Cheng in March last year.
Investigators also alleged Cheng possessed, disposed and committed cruelty to 13 reptiles including seven Shingleback lizards, four Eastern blue-tongued lizards and two Western blue-tongued lizards.
The lizards were all linked to properties at Narre Warren, Narre Warren South, Hampton Park, Lynbrook, Hallam and Pakenham.
Cheng, 33 at the time he was charged earlier this year, is also accused of importing lizards from New South Wales into Victoria via Tullamarine on October 28, 2018.
The alleged offending was committed between June 2018 and March 2019.
A younger co-accused Gideon Luong, 23 at the time, was also charged with offences including some allegedly linked to a Narre Warren South property.
The pair were arrested following “Operation Sheffield”, a 12-month Victoria Police investigation in conjunction with the Office of the Conservation Regulator.
“The Conservation Regulator, with our partner agencies including Victoria Police, are committed to stopping wildlife crime in Victoria and preventing people from profiting from the illegal trade in our wildlife,” chief conservation regulator Kate Gravens said.
The matter before Magistrate Marita Altman will return to court on October 5
Luong, via his lawyer, indicated he will plead guilty to charges including animal cruelty, possessing protected wildlife and disposing protected wildlife and importing protected wildlife without a permit.
He will face a plea hearing in front of a different Magistrate at a later date.
According to previous media reports, lizards are popular as pets in China and Japan and can fetch more than $10,000 each – and sometimes up to $100,000 – if sold on the black market to reptile collectors.
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