Agriculture Victoria is continuing its crackdown on the illegal network trading in exotic pest animals, with a series of investigations across the state.
A man seeking to breed chameleons has been convicted of 2 counts of keeping a controlled pest animal.
The south-east Melbourne man was found to be seeking to purchase a male chameleon to breed with his female chameleon.
On 3 December 2024, officers executed a search warrant at his residence. Officers identified and seized one green iguana and a mobile phone. As a result of the evidence gathered he was convicted and fined $10,000.
Should either a chameleon or an iguana escape or be released into the wild, they pose significant threats to the Australian ecosystem. Breeding either of these species would increase that threat.
On 2 July 2025, DEECA officers executed a search warrant on a residential property in Delahey, Melbourne where they seized a 12 kg, 84 cm long female common snapping turtle. Common snapping turtles are native in the south-east of the United States of America. They have a powerful bite that can inflict serious injury if they are threatened or provoked.
The person keeping the snapping turtle was fined $1,628, with the source of the snapping turtle part of another ongoing investigation.
Operation DJANGO Project Manager Adam Kay said that while convictions like this help protect Victoria's biosecurity system, they also are an essential deterrence for future would-be offenders.
'Operation DJANGO is about ensuring the public is aware of the risks created by illegal animal traders,' Mr Kay said.
'We remain committed to working closely across government to identify and address illegal animal trade, ensuring appropriate action is taken where necessary.'
Operation DJANGO is a joint operation between Agriculture Victoria and the Conservation Regulator, and supported by Crime Stoppers Victoria.
Wildlife trafficking is the fourth-largest organised crime globally, worth over $450 billion a year, according to the Wildlife Crime Research Hub.
