Australia seizes 100,000 illegal cockroaches in record bug bust

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Australian authorities seized 100,000 live cockroaches in what they say is the country's largest-ever haul of illegal exotic invertebrates. The cache included dubia cockroaches and Madagascar hissing cockroaches, apparently destined for the black market pet trade. Biosecurity officials warned that illegal exotic insects pose risks to Australia's native ecosystems and agriculture, which is why importing them without permits is prohibited. The record seizure underscores growing enforcement efforts against smugglers trying to bypass strict quarantine rules designed to protect the island nation's isolated fauna.