Cape Town – A traveller, who arrived in Australia from Indonesia, was fined $2 664 (approximately R33 000) for “smuggling” Mcdonald’s in his luggage.
In a statement, Australian Agriculture Minister Murray Watt said that the traveller landed at Darwin Airport last week.
Upon arrival, Darwin’s new biosecurity detector dog named Zinta responded to the traveller’s backpack and uncovered undeclared meat.
The traveller was found carrying a variety of risk items, including two egg and beef sausage McMuffins from a McDonald’s in Bali and a ham croissant.
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This was after Australian authorities brought in tough new biosecurity rules following a Foot and Mouth disease (FMD) outbreak in Indonesia.
“This will be the most expensive Maccas meal this passenger ever has, this fine is twice the cost of an airfare to Bali, but I have no sympathy for people who choose to disobey Australia’s strict biosecurity measures, and recent detections show you will be caught. Australia is FMD-free, and we want it to stay that way,” said Watt.
The passenger was issued a 12-unit infringement notice for failing to declare potential high biosecurity risk items and providing a false and misleading document.
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Compiled by Sinothando Siyolo
