NSW: Illegal rodent squirrelled away in imported sock
10 Dec 2008 3:11 PM
SYDNEY, Dec 10 AAP - A squirrel has sparked raids on two Sydney homes, Customs investigators say.
Customs and Quarantine officers raided two homes in Harbord on Sydney's northern beaches after they intercepted a live squirrel in a mail package sent from Bali, Indonesia.
The rodent was found secreted in a sock inside a package marked DVDs by customs officers on December 2.
It died a short time later, Customs national manager of investigation Richard Janeczko said.
"On this occasion, the squirrel had suffered during its journey in captivity and died shortly after being freed, highlighting the cruel aspect of such smuggling attempts," he said in a statement.
"Any smuggling of animals into Australia is also a concern for health reasons as it poses a high quarantine risk with the real possibility of introducing deadly diseases into the environment," he said.
The maximum penalty for offences under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Act is 10 years jail, a fine of $110,000 or both.
