Salami smuggler's 6,500 reasons to respect quarantine

A Danish businessman has learned that ignoring Australia’s tough quarantine laws doesn’t pay, Australian Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Minister Warren Truss said today. 

Late last week in Cairns Magistrates Court, the 34-year-old man was fined $6,500 for failing to declare four and a half kilograms of salami when he arrived in Queensland for a short business trip. 

Quarantine officers at Brisbane International Airport discovered salami sausages — intended as gifts for clients — during an x-ray inspection of the traveller’s luggage. 

Minister Truss said the severity of the fine reflects the importance of quarantine to Australia and the seriousness of this kind of breach. 

"The meat could have been carrying an animal disease with devastating consequences for our agricultural industries, the Australian economy and the general community," he said. 

The magistrate who heard the case said ignorance of quarantine rules was no excuse for breaking them. There is sufficient signage at airports and on planes advising passengers to declare their goods to AQIS. 

He also commented that carelessness was no excuse for failing to obey a legal obligation to declare quarantine items. 

"The support of our courts is very important to AQIS," Mr Truss said. "That support recognises that Quarantine’s role is vital to Australia’s protection. 

"Smugglers put at risk Australia's $30 billion a year agriculture export industries, as well as the good health of our wildlife and environment. 

"Anyone who flouts Australia’s strict quarantine rules risks up to 10 years in jail or fines of up to $60,000. 

"Under the Howard/Anderson Government’s border protection policies, AQIS maintains a 100 per cent inspection rate on incoming international mail, shipping and air and sea containers, and approximately 90 per cent of passengers arriving at our international airports have their luggage x-rayed or opened. This compares with intervention of less than 5 per cent of international mail, very few sea and air cargo containers and only 25 per cent of passengers under the previous government. 

"The Coalition has boosted the quarantine budget to $500 million a year, up from just $40 million 10 years ago — giving us the world’s largest dedicated border quarantine presence."

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