Japanese Woman Appears in Court Attempting to Smuggle Out 19 Lizards

Ms Akane Chibana, a Japanese woman who was caught hiding lizards in her suitcase at Melbourne airport in April, appeared in Magistrate Court of Victoria for Committal Mention this morning.

Akane Chibana (R) faced the Magistrate on 5th June over trying to smuggle out 19 lizards in Melbourne's Tullamarine Airport in April Source: ABF (L) / Akane Chibana's facebook page (R)

During the hearing, the Magistrate made orders and directions about the sufficiency of evidence related to Ms Chibana's case. The Magistrate decided that there was sufficient evidence to support the trial and asked Ms Chibana whether she would plead guilty or not guilty. 

Ms Chibana, through her interpreter, pleaded guilty and no bail had been applied. 

She has been ordered to stand up on the 9th October for a plea hearing. 

Akane Chibana, a 27 year-old from Okinawa, was intended to board a flight to Japan when ABF officers found 17 shingleback lizards and 2 blue tongue lizards wrapped in mesh packages hidden in her suitcase.

She was arrested and charged under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.

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