A 25-year-old man from southern New South Wales faces a multitude of charges, including possessing stolen firearms, drugs, and attempting to sell protected native lizards.
The man, identified as Jye Ronald Pendrick, was arrested by police at a rural property in Humula, approximately 60 km southwest of Holbrook in the Riverina region.
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During the search, authorities found a trove of allegedly stolen items, among them three firearms accompanied by ammunition.
Police confiscated three trail bikes, a luxury watch, and various tools, including a chainsaw and hedge cutter, a lawn mower, Road and Maritime Services road signs, number plates, and a bogie trailer.
Police also made an unexpected discovery, finding four shingleback blue-tongue lizards, a protected species for which Pendrick lacked the requisite licence.
It was revealed that he had attempted to sell these animals, further compounding his legal troubles.
According to Chris Williams, president of the Australian Herpetological Society, there is a strong demand for shingleback blue-tongue lizards, both domestically and internationally.
“They’re fantastic pets and that’s why they are so popular here and overseas and unfortunately sometimes they are being smuggled out of the country — which is heartbreaking,” Mr Williams said.
Pendrick now faces a series of charges, totaling 35 offences, encompassing possession of unauthorised firearms, hunting on private land without a licence, and dealing in protected animals.
He appeared in Wagga Wagga Local Court on Thursday and was remanded in custody until his next court appearance scheduled for May 14.
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