“The passenger, a 45 year old woman from Vietnam, had her visitor visa canceled for failing to declare an extensive cache of food concealed in her luggage, including over 4.5 kilos of pork,” Minister for Agriculture Bridget McKenzie said in a statement. “In the midst of what is potentially the biggest animal disease event the world has seen, it beggars belief that someone would deliberately attempt to bring pork meat past our border.”
The woman was traveling with 4.5 kilograms (10 pounds) of pork, a particular concern for Australian officials amid a worldwide swine fever epidemic.
Australia Border Force
The woman was flagged by border officials at Sydney airport and pulled aside for a check after she didn’t declare any banned items to customs. She is the first tourist to have her visa canceled and be expelled from the country over a breach of biosecurity laws. She will be allowed to return in three years.
The celebrity couple issues a very serious apology to Australia after smuggling dogs aboard a private jet.
“Since we increased border checks we’ve been seizing 100 kilograms per week in illegal pork products. Between 5 November 2018 and 31 August 2019 over 27 tonnes of pork were intercepted on air travelers entering Australia.”