|
Wednesday, 19 July 2006 |
Man Caught With Endangered Birds' Eggs In His Underwear A judge hearing the case of a man who was caught with six eggs from endangered species in his underwear as he was about to board a plane rejected his claim Monday that he was taking the eggs overseas "to surprise his girlfriend." Wayne Frederick Floyd was flying from an airport in Sydney, Australia, to Bangkok, Thailand, when he was caught with the eggs in November. Police strip-searched him after they detected an abnormal bulge around his groin area during a frisk.
In February, Floyd pleaded guilty to exporting regulated native species without a permit or exemption, an offense that could result in 10 years in prison.
Judge Martin Sides said Floyd's attempt was a commercial venture, but did not mandate jail time because the eggs had come from birds at Floyd's home, instead of the wild. He was fined 25,000 Australian dollars ($20,000).
Floyd had been carrying gang gang cockatoo and galah eggs, among others that didn't hatch. A galah or cockatoo egg can be sold overseas for tens of thousands of dollars.
|
Bird News 
