NT man who tried to sell wallaby joey on Facebook faces criminal charges
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Version 0 of 1. A 26-year-old Northern Territory man faces criminal charges after he allegedly tried to sell a wallaby joey via Facebook, meeting the "buyer" in a car park in Western Australia's Kimberley region. The animal was rescued from a Broome car park after an officer from the Department of Parks and Wildlife (DPaW) posed as a potential buyer during a plain-clothes police operation on Thursday last week. Wildlife officer Peter Carstairs said the seller would be charged with up to five offences including possession, importation and selling of protected wildlife. He said the man brought the joey into WA from the Northern Territory and advertised it for $3,500. "We understand there was an offer of up to $10,000 from a buyer visiting from overseas," Carstairs said. He said local residents who were concerned about the man's actions had complained to DPaW. It is illegal to sell or possess any part of a native animal in WA unless you have a wildlife licence, Carstairs said. The man faces penalties of up to $4,000 for some of the charges. The matter is being pursued by the department, not police. |