In a surprising turn of events, a South Korean man, Gunak Lee, found himself sentenced to 14 months in jail instead of receiving payment for smuggling rare geckos out of New Zealand. The 23-year-old, who was unemployed, was caught in a sting operation by an undercover Department of Conservation (Doc) officer at an Auckland hotel.
Thinking he was purchasing 10 geckos for a substantial amount, Lee was shocked to find that only two geckos were handed over in the operation, with the rest of the containers empty and concealed. A search warrant executed in Lee’s hotel room revealed his plans to smuggle the geckos back to South Korea on the same day.
Despite his belief that he would only face a fine if caught at the border, Lee was sentenced at the Manukau District Court for buying the protected jewelled geckos and possessing a threatened species. The prosecutor highlighted that wildlife cannot defend itself and that the transaction was part of a premeditated smuggling operation.
The jewelled geckos, unique to New Zealand, are classified as “at risk – declining” in terms of their conservation status. With a call for a two-year prison sentence from Doc, Lee’s lawyer argued for a six-month starting point, emphasizing Lee’s naivety and exploitation by others.
The sting operation revealed the high demand for jewelled geckos in illegal international trading, particularly in Europe, where a single gecko can fetch a significant amount. Lee’s arrest was the result of a carefully planned meeting with an undercover officer and a subsequent search of his hotel room.
Despite not being the main orchestrator of the smuggling operation, Lee was sentenced to 14 months in jail. The judge acknowledged Lee’s cooperation, guilty plea, and lack of prior convictions, but ultimately decided on a two-year starting point for the sentence. Upon release, Lee will likely face deportation.
