Customs close in on bird smuggling

[Catbird]

Customs targets wildlife trafficking ring in four states

Customs has severely disrupted an international wildlife smuggling racket following raids on five rural properties in four Australian states.

The raids were part of the biggest ever operation conducted by Customs in its efforts to identify and prosecute smugglers involved in importing and exporting wildlife.

Officers searched properties in Queensland, NSW, Victoria and Western Australia, discovering large quantities of Australian native and exotic birds and eggs.

Find out more here:
www.customs.gov.au/site/page.cfm

[sen]

clair,

i think it was your post i saw on another forum about this subject.

couldnt beleive the guy there going on about how the birds were all bred ones. if it wasnt so serious an issue i woulda laughed at the naivety.

ive never seen smuggling in person as when i was overseas i was never near any bird markets.

but why would they breed what can be captured easier? makes no sense.

as much as i disagree with the governments stance banning all imports except from NZ I totally agree smuggling birds in is way way wrong.

i would instead be in favour of limited imports from licensed reputable sources. with gov agents going over and conducting inspections before agents are issued permits to send birds here. plus periodic inspections to ensure quality of stock.