Police have charged two people in relation to alleged breaches of the 'Biosecurity and Agriculture Management Regulations 2013' in the South West between March 2021 and November 2022.
The charges relate to the following alleged offences linked to the legal requirement to maintain the National Livestock Identification System (NLIS).
It is alleged the two held sheep at an abattoir in the South West, bearing no identifying features, such as an NLIS device or NLIS tag, as well as purchasing almost 12,000 sheep from 16 different suppliers and failing to transfer the ownership of those livestock on the NLIS within 48 hours.
Police allege many of the sheep involved in the above transactions could not be identified or located by police, highlighting the risk failing to comply with legal requirements can have on the livestock industry.
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A 47-year-old woman and a 44-year-old man, both from Elgin, have been charged with two counts of possessing or controlling a live animal which was not appropriately identified and 24 counts of causing or permitting stock to be moved to a property without the same PIC and did not within 48 hours record details in the NLIS database.
They are both due to appear in the Busselton Magistrates Court today, March 14.
Detective senior constable James Griffiths from the Financial Crimes Squad said the requirements to identify livestock, and their movements between properties, was critical to maintaining the integrity of the industry.
"In the event of a disease outbreak, or other critical issue, being able to immediately establish where specific livestock are, and other livestock that could have potentially become contaminated, is crucial," constable Griffiths said.
"The National Livestock Identification System is there to protect industry members and the broader community, and police will continue to work with the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development to identify and prosecute any breaches of those national requirements."
