An Australian man who smuggled live scorpions into the country has been fined more than $10,000.
Iszac Walters, 23, pleaded guilty in October to smuggling six Black Rock scorpions through Christchurch Airport in February.
A the Christchurch District Court this afternoon he was fined $5000 for each of the two charges he faced under the Biosecurity Act 1993 and was ordered to pay the Ministry of Primary Industries $1000 in costs.
Walters sold the scorpions to Queenstown brothers James and Matthew Grant to keep as pets.
Both brothers were sentenced in November to 150 hours community work after admitting to receiving the arachnids.
