Wildlife officers have busted an illegal cockroach-breeding operation in rural Australia, seizing a skin-crawling haul worth more than $100,000 on the black market for exotic bugs.

The invertebrates were likely destined for the pet trade, including as reptile food

Australian officials say they confiscated more than 100,000 illegal live cockroaches from a breeder in May in the country's largest-ever seizure of exotic invertebrates.