Repeat offender of smuggling reptiles receives record sentence

A 61 year old Sydney man, Neil Andrew Simpson, was sentenced in the Downing Centre District Court on 13 February 2026 to a total effective sentence of 8 years’ imprisonment, with a non-parole period of 5 years and 4 months. Mr Simpson entered pleas of guilty to three offences contrary to s 303DD(1) of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth), sections 11.2(1) and 11.1(1) Criminal Code (Cth) for the attempted and actual export of native Australian reptiles.

The maximum penalty for an offence contrary to Section 303DD(1) of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, sections 11.2(1) and 11.1(1) Criminal Code (Cth) is 10 years’ imprisonment.

This is the highest sentence ever imposed for this type of offending contrary to section 303DD(1) of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth).

Previous offending

Mr Simpson was found guilty of a range of offences related to importing and exporting reptiles. On 31 August 2018, he received a total effective sentence of 1 year 10 months and 27 days imprisonment to be released immediately on the condition that he be of good behaviour for the period of sentence. The offending happened offending between 13 May 2015 and 2 February 2016.

The matter

Two months after his previous sentencing, Mr Simpson was involved in the attempted and actual export of native Australian reptiles between October 2018 and December 2023, breaching his s 20(1)(b) recognizance release order imposed in 2018. He packaged the reptiles within calico bags which were hidden inside cardboard boxes. He then engaged others to take the boxes to post offices in the Sydney area and post them on his behalf to addresses in Hong Kong, Korea, Romania and Sri Lanka. One package avoided detection and left Australia but the remaining 14 boxes were intercepted prior to leaving Australia.

At no stage did the offender have any permit or exemption that would allow him to export such specimens.

On 24 June 2020, New South Wales police executed a search warrant and located reptile bags and rolls of tape similar to that in and on the intercepted packages. Following the execution of search warrants, the offender was arrested.

On 27 February 2023, investigators with the Commonwealth Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) attended a residence, for the purpose of inspecting the reptile and fauna holdings of the mother of the offender. During the inspection, investigators formed the view that the Offender managed the husbandry of the animals located at the premises.

On 28 December 2023, New South Wales Police executed a search warrant at another location. Police searched the garage, which was secured with padlocks, and located a box of latex gloves, packing tape, cardboard boxes, bags of popcorn, biscuit tins, Woolworths high fibre bran cereal boxes and toiletry bags. These items were identical to those identified within the packages that were intercepted prior to leaving Australia which contained native Australian reptiles.

On 29 December 2023, New South Wales Police arrested the offender when he was driving a white Toyota Prado. Within the vehicle, Police located a bag containing used latex gloves, boxes of new latex gloves, cream coloured calico bags similar to those within which the reptiles were located within the majority of the packages, and clear netted fruit bags with red draw-strings similar to those within which reptiles were located inside the package.

The offender was charged on Indictment with three counts, and the matters on the s 16BA schedule. These offences relate to the offender’s:

• involvement in attempted exports of regulated native specimens, being Australian reptiles, via post from Post Offices in New South Wales to recipients in Korea, Romania, Hong Kong and Sri Lanka between October 2018 and April 2019 (Count 1);
• involvement in a successful export of regulated native specimens, being Australian reptiles, via post from the Rockdale Post Office to a recipient in the Republic of Korea in April 2019 (Count 2);
• involvement in attempted exports of regulated native specimens, being Australian reptiles, via post from Post Offices in New South Wales to recipients in Hong Kong between September 2023 and December 2023 (Count 3, and s 16BA matters).

The packages the subject of Count 1, Count 3, and the s 16BA matters were detected at mail facilities prior to leaving Australia, later provided to the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment (later known as DCCEEW) and deconstructed. The parcels contained lizards (skinks, and dragons), individually secured within calico bags and placed inside cardboard boxes.

Related material

Record sentence for reptile smuggler – DCCEEW Media Release 17 February 2026

Evidence provided identifying the packaging for export. (photo via DCCEEW)

Evidence provided of reptiles exported. (photo via DCCEEW)

Evidence provided of reptiles exported. (photo via DCCEEW)