Two Japanese men have been charged after attempting to smuggle 30 lizards out of Western Australia, worth up to $130,000 on the Asian black market.
The men, aged 38 and 33, were caught by Customs and WA Department of Parks and Wildlife officers on Monday, trying to smuggle 28 specially protected Rottnest Island shingleback lizards, one bearded dragon and one skink out of Perth International Airport.
State Environment Minister Albert Jacob, who is pushing for harsher penalties for wildlife smugglers, suggested the fines the men faced under the current Wildlife Conservation Act of up to $38,000 were not enough.
"We need to ensure that wildlife smuggling attempts are met with the full force of the law," Mr Jacob said.
"They are not only illegal, but cruel and pose a risk to the state's unique and rich biodiversity."
Customs said the men not only faced seven counts of unlawfully taking protected fauna and one charge of unlawfully taking four specially protected reptiles under state laws, they had also been charged under Commonwealth law.
The charges are attempting to export a specimen that is a regulated native specimen and subjecting a protected species to cruel treatment.
The maximum penalty for wildlife trade offences is 10 years imprisonment and/or a fine of $170,000 for individuals and up to $850,000 for corporations.
Under WA's Biodiversity Conservation Bill, which is being drafted and is expected to be introduced to state parliament next year, fines for harming threatened species will be significantly increased, including penalties of up to $500,000 for harming a critically endangered species and $50,000 for harming a non-threatened species.
More than 182 shinglebacks have been seized as a result of 10 reptile busts in WA since 1998, with all but one involving Japanese nationals.
The two men will remain in custody before appearing in court on October 18.
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