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Lizard trafficker strapped reptiles to chest

A CALIFORNIAN reptile salesman who attempted to smuggle 15 live Australian lizards into the US by strapping them to his chest should be jailed for 10 months, prosecutors have told an American judge.

Michael Plank, 41, was stopped by US customs officers at Los Angeles international airport moments after he stepped off his United Airlines flight from Sydney on November 17, 2009.

A pat-down search found money belts strapped to Plank's chest "stuffed" with two geckos, two monitor lizards and 11 skinks.

Plank entered a guilty plea to a smuggling charge last year and US District Court judge Otis D Wright will sentence him on July 11.

"There is simply no better way to discourage wildlife smugglers than to send out the message that smuggling wildlife will result in prison time," US prosecutors submitted in a filing to the judge yesterday.

Prosecutors labelled Plank's smuggling attempt as "animal cruelty" and asked for a 10 month jail sentence, a $US2000 fine and three years probation.

Australian customs officials estimate the 15 lizards are worth between $20,000 to $25,000.

Plank, owner of US-based Big Game Reptiles, made 12 trips to Australia between November 2006 and November 2009, raising suspicions he had smuggled other Australian animals.

The illegal trafficking of wildlife is estimated to be worth $US20 billion a year and ranks as the fourth most valuable illicit economy in the world behind drugs, arms and human trafficking, prosecutors told the court.

The lizards are being held at San Diego Zoo.
www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/lizard-trafficker-strapped-reptiles-to-chest/story-e6frf7jx-1226072847869

>>Lizard trafficker strapped reptiles to chest
>>
>>A CALIFORNIAN reptile salesman who attempted to smuggle 15 live Australian lizards into the US by strapping them to his chest should be jailed for 10 months, prosecutors have told an American judge.
>>
>>Michael Plank, 41, was stopped by US customs officers at Los Angeles international airport moments after he stepped off his United Airlines flight from Sydney on November 17, 2009.
>>
>>A pat-down search found money belts strapped to Plank's chest "stuffed" with two geckos, two monitor lizards and 11 skinks.
>>
>>Plank entered a guilty plea to a smuggling charge last year and US District Court judge Otis D Wright will sentence him on July 11.
>>
>>"There is simply no better way to discourage wildlife smugglers than to send out the message that smuggling wildlife will result in prison time," US prosecutors submitted in a filing to the judge yesterday.
>>
>>Prosecutors labelled Plank's smuggling attempt as "animal cruelty" and asked for a 10 month jail sentence, a $US2000 fine and three years probation.
>>
>>Australian customs officials estimate the 15 lizards are worth between $20,000 to $25,000.
>>
>>Plank, owner of US-based Big Game Reptiles, made 12 trips to Australia between November 2006 and November 2009, raising suspicions he had smuggled other Australian animals.
>>
>>The illegal trafficking of wildlife is estimated to be worth $US20 billion a year and ranks as the fourth most valuable illicit economy in the world behind drugs, arms and human trafficking, prosecutors told the court.
>>
>>The lizards are being held at San Diego Zoo.
>>www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/lizard-trafficker-strapped-reptiles-to-chest/story-e6frf7jx-1226072847869

Idiot..
-----
HCU
Snakes of Hudspeth County, Texas

Idiot, perhaps, but isn't that how bearded dragons, V. acanthurus, carpets, and a host of other australian herpetofauna got to north america, or have I just been misinformed?
Unreasonable export policies for common species invite that sort of solution to the problem. Just sayin'

Idiot, perhaps, but isn't that how bearded dragons, V. acanthurus, carpets, and a host of other australian herpetofauna got to north america, or have I just been misinformed?
Unreasonable export policies for common species invite that sort of solution to the problem. Just sayin'

You got it. Its a joke. Prison time for smuggling what amounts to a handful of common species destined for the live trade / breeders. Are you kidding me? Does putting this guy in jail make the world a safer place? California is already looking to dump tens of thousands of convicted criminals from its prison systems due to overcrowding and these clowns are talking about giving this guy jail time. Fines, probation.... sure but jail time............that's nuts.

True, there's big bucks in the illegal trafficking of wildlife but almost all of that money involves using the animals for various products like, skins, medicinal, food, etc., and nobody touches these guys. The BIG ones that is. Smuggling for the live trade accounts for just tiny slice of the "illegal trafficking of wildlife" and almost always involves small numbers of common species.

ERNIE EISON
WESTWOOD ACRES REPTILE FARM INC.

The age old mantra was animal smuggling is second only to drug smuggling. At least they came off that dead horse. Google the phrase "second only to drugs" and you will find a hald dozen segments all claimed to be second only...

How they derived the $20 BILLION yearly number is beyond me. Mike sold animals to pay for attorney fees. If we was so prolific and the business so profitable, why did he have to sell animals?

Lizard Smuggler Gets 15 Months Behind Bars After Being Caught At LAX

A Lomita man was sentenced today to 15 months behind bars for attempting to smuggle 15 live lizards from Australia through customs at Los Angeles International Airport by strapping the reptiles to his chest.

Michael J. Plank, 42, the owner and operator of a Lomita company dealing in reptiles, pleaded guilty a year ago in Los Angeles federal court to a charge of smuggling wildlife into the United States.

Plank said he was driven by love of the reptiles rather than the $23,500 he could have earned by selling the prohibited lizards to other collectors.

"Since the first lizard I caught as a child ... I've had an affection for these reptiles," Plank said, adding that his passion for the creatures "has led me to where I am."

Along with the prison term, U.S. District Judge Otis D. Wright II ordered Plank to pay a $2,000 fine and serve three years under supervised release after he is released from federal custody.

"By doing what he's doing, he may very well be endangering the environment and these animals," Wright said.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said Plank was returning from Australia in November 2009 when U.S. Customs agents found two geckos, two monitor lizards and 11 skinks stuffed into a money belt he was wearing.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Dennis Mitchell said the skinks were pregnant and seven offspring have subsequently been born.

The confiscated reptiles are at the San Diego Zoo.

All Australian reptiles are strictly regulated, and Plank did not have a permit for the lizards.

In arguing for probation, defense attorney Larry M. Bakman said Plank suffered from an obsessive-compulsive disorder that led to the smuggling attempt and fueled his deeply rooted interest in the reptile trade.

"You have to understand how obsessive these people are ... they're in another category," Bakman said. "They are obsessive-compulsive addicts ... (some) have mortgaged their homes to get in on a project involving albino boas."

Wright rejected the argument for a sentence of home detention, saying he would not allow the defendant to "stay home for a while and watch Oprah."

Wright said Plank made a dozen trips to Australia over three years, ostensibly to "capture these things in the wild' and smuggle the reptiles into the United States.

During an interview with investigators, Plank admitted smuggling lizards twice before using the money belt, according to court papers.

www.bhcourier.com/article/Local/Local/Lizard_Smuggler_Gets_15_Months_Behind_Bars_After_Being_Caught_At_LAX/77632

I cannot help but laugh. I saw his attorney's name in the post. Hi Larry! Hope you are well.

Using Plank as an average of $23,500 per smuggling incident and the stated $20 BILLION per year figure for the entire smuggled trade we arrive at ~851,000 smuggling occurrences EVERY YEAR!. That is over 2300 cases of smuggling animals every DAY!.

Imagine the courts if these figures are real AND the cops had a 1% capture rate!

Now way smuggled animals = $20 BILLION a year.