A suspected reptile smuggler was arrested this week at Los Angeles Internation Airport trying to smuggle more than a dozen lizards into the United States from Australia. The reptile smuggler was stopped by U.S. Customs Agents after they found the live lizards strapped to his body.
The LAX reptile smuggler has been identified as 40-year-old Michael Plank of Lomita. On Tuesday, Plank was returning from Australia when U.S. Customs Agents found 15 live lizards hidden inside his money belt. Plank was arrested and officials with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Services were contacted.
Michael Plank had 11 skink, two geckos and two monitor lizards inside his money belt. The lizards are valued at $8,500. The LAX reptile smuggler didn’t have the required permits for the lizards and Australian reptiles are strictly regulated.
Plant was arrested on federal reptile smuggling charges and released after posting $10,000 bail. He is scheduled to appear in for his arraignment o=in federal court on December 21. Smuggling wildlife into the U.S. is a federal offense punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Sources: The Los Angeles Times
Image: Wikipedia
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