A Sydney court has sentenced 61-year-old Neil Simpson to eight years in jail for smuggling Australian reptiles. This is a record sentence for wildlife smuggling, officials said. Simpson’s non-parole period is five years and four months. Investigators found 101 reptiles hidden in 15 parcels between 2018 and 2023. The parcels were sent to Hong Kong, South Korea, Sri Lanka, and Romania. The animals included shingleback lizards, western bluetongue lizards, bearded dragons, and southern pygmy spiny-tailed skinks. The creatures were packed in calico bags. These bags were cleverly hidden inside popcorn bags, biscuit tins, and a woman’s handbag, all placed inside cardboard boxes. Federal environment officials highlighted the unusual hiding method. This case marks the toughest punishment given in Australia for smuggling wildlife.