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Wildlife officers have shut down an illegal cockroach-breeding farm in rural Australia, confiscating a massive haul of exotic bugs valued at over $100,000 on the black market.
The Australian Environment Department announced on Friday that the raid took place at a commercial breeding facility in Bathurst, located west of Sydney, where authorities uncovered more than 100,000 contraband cockroaches.
Among the seized contraband were dubia cockroaches, an invasive species commonly used as pet lizard feed, and Madagascar "hissing" cockroaches, a bulky insect famous for its loud, natural defense mechanism.
Images released from the raid show the sheer size of the insects, with one Madagascar cockroach large enough to completely cover an adult's palm.
Environmental authorities emphasized that illegal operations like this pose severe threats to the country's biosecurity.
"We take our job protecting Australia's unique biodiversity and breaches of national environment law very seriously," an environment department spokesperson said, warning pet businesses and owners that trading illicit insects will not be tolerated.
The seized insects carried an estimated street value of $140,000 (Australian $200,000).
Biosecurity officials are now moving to euthanize the tens of thousands of pests.
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