Australian authorities have seized more than 100,000 live exotic cockroaches from a commercial breeder in the state of New South Wales, in what officials described as the country's largest-ever seizure of illegal exotic invertebrates.
The Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water (DCCEEW) said on Friday that the insects, with an estimated value of up to A$200,000 (US$142,000), included dubia cockroaches and Madagascar hissing cockroaches, species that cannot legally be imported into Australia.
Under Australian law, species that are not approved for import also cannot legally be kept, bred or sold, regardless of how they were obtained.
The seizure took place in Bathurst, about 200 kilometres west of Sydney. Authorities warned pet businesses and reptile owners that possession, breeding or trading of the insects could lead to penalties under federal law.
Australia maintains some of the world's strictest biosecurity controls to protect its unique wildlife and agricultural industries from invasive species and disease.
"We take our job protecting Australia's unique biodiversity and breaches of national environment law very seriously," the DCCEEW said in a release.
The department said the cockroaches had not undergone environmental risk assessments and could pose a threat to native wildlife and agriculture if released into the environment.
The New South Wales Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development is overseeing the euthanasia and disposal of the insects.
Authorities said they had observed illegal breeding and trading of exotic cockroaches, including species commonly used as feed for reptiles. Reptile owners were encouraged to switch to legal alternatives such as crickets and wood roaches.
