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Message: [QUOTE="Rhys van Beurden, post: 2809249, member: 8317"] SUSPENDED NRL star Martin Kennedy has been arrested over his alleged involvement in an illegal international wildlife smuggling ring. The 28-year-old former Sydney Roosters and Broncos player was arrested at his Bondi home yesterday, where federal police seized a large amount of cash and a number of snakes while investigating his involvement in the trafficking of reptiles overseas. Police will allege that he was responsible for 16 packages that arrived in Australia from Thailand containing more than 200 animals, including Chinese soft-shell turtles, alligator snapping turtles, snakehead fish, sugar gliders, veiled chameleons and freshwater stingrays. It will also be alleged that between July and October 2016 investigators seized six packages bound for Sweden containing more than 40 native Australian shingleback lizards. The Saturday Telegraph understands a number of individuals are involved in the smuggling racket, where rare reptiles are caught in the Outback and then mailed overseas. The crews are recruited by syndicates who go to locations such as the Kimberleys and mail the reptiles to Sydney, where they are sold on the black market. Sources said a shingleback lizard was worth up to $400 locally, and more overseas. “A breeding pair can get thousands overseas,” a wildlife investigator said. “(Smugglers) often just take a risk that the animals will survive the flights and they are heavily packaged.” Once a rising NRL star, Kennedy was last year suspended from playing for two years and nine months for breaching the league’s anti-doping policy. The NRL Tribunal found Kennedy guilty of ordering performance-enhancing drugs during the 2012 off-season. It added an extra nine months to his ban after he was also found guilty of trying to delete evidence from his phone. Kennedy was yesterday charged with 40 offences — 37 counts contrary to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, and three offences contrary to the Biosecurity Act 2015. The charges carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in jail. “This has been a complex investigation and the scale of criminality involved in the matter has been astounding,” AFP crime operations manager Chris McDevitt said. Department of Environment assistant secretary Matt Cahill said the illegal international wildlife trade was worth billions of dollars. [URL]http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/nrl-player-martin-kennedy-arrested-and-charged-with-wildlife-offences/news-story/244e70048fc1834e14ce77d7f2ef6fbc[/URL] [/QUOTE]

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