AP FACT CHECK: Australian police didn't raid koala 'brothel'

Associated Press

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — A story shared on social media that claimed police rescued koalas from an underground animal "brothel" in Australia is false.

The account posted by notallowedto.com and other sites said federal agents had arrested more than 40 people from a privately owned petting zoo at the town of Pinjarra in Western Australia state over allegations of bestiality and animal cruelty.

The story described the raid as the biggest crack down on an animal cruelty in Australia's history.

The Australian Federal Police said in a statement on Friday its officers were not involved in such an operation.

Western Australia Police, which would have jurisdiction in such a raid, said in a statement: "We believe this to be fake news."

Photographs published with the story do not depict koalas rescued in such a police operation. They are images of a koala hit by a car in Queensland state and a koala being treated for burns sustained in a wildfire in South Australia state.

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This story is part of an ongoing Associated Press effort to fact-check claims in suspected false news stories.