An award-winning British film producer has been fined about $7,000 after being caught trying to smuggle 217 animals out of Australia.
Michael Linley, 51, of East Anglia, was arrested at Perth International Airport in October by customs officers acting on a tip.
They found a haul of frogs, lizards and snakes in his suitcase, the BBC reported.
Outside court the filmmaker apologized for his "stupidity" and said he would regret it "for the rest of my life."
Judge Henry Jackson told Western Australia's District Court he found it "hard to understand" why a man of Linley's professional standing would do "such an incredibly stupid thing."
The wildlife expert had admitted trying to smuggle marbled geckos, squelching froglets and western bearded dragons along with snakes and three cockroaches.
Prosecutors said they had found 27 species of Australian life in his luggage.
Copyright 2003 by United Press International.
News Provided by COMTEX (http://www.comtexnews.com)
Source Citation
"Lizzard luggage linked to Linley." United Press International 13 Dec. 2003. General OneFile. Web. 17 Feb. 2010.
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