By Jack Guy, CNN

Published 6:27 AM EST, Mon January 8, 2024

Police in Australia have dismantled what they believe is a smuggling ring that was attempting to export native lizards and reptiles worth more than 1.2 million Australian dollars ($800,000) to Hong Kong

Three men, aged 54, 59 and 31, and one woman, aged 41, were arrested in Sydney as part of the investigation, New South Wales Police said in a statement published Monday.

“Police will allege in court the criminal group were catching live lizards and native Australian reptiles to export for profit to Hong Kong,” the police statement said.

“The animals were kept in poor conditions and bound in small containers when they were packaged to be sent,” it added.

Police said officers found a total 257 lizards and three snakes during the investigation, both in packages and in addresses used by the group.

The reptiles “were taken to various zoos and wildlife parks for examination by a vet before being released back to the wild,” the statement added.