If you’ve ever been to Australia or watched the hit show Border Security: Australia’s Front Line (embedded below) then you know how strict and diligent their customs agents are. Navya Nair, an Indian actress who flew from Kochi, India to Melbourne via Singapore on Singapore Airlines, just found out the hard way.
According to ABC News Australia, Nair was given a jasmine gajra by her father to wear on her flight from Kochi to Singapore, the first leg of her journey to Melbourne. Knowing it would wilt, he also gave her another for the onward flight, which she stored in her handbag. When she arrived in Melbourne, officials found the 15 cm string of flowers, which she hadn’t declared, and she was fined nearly $2,000 ($1,322 USD).
Nair owned up to it and said, “What I did was against the law… ignorance is no excuse.” Turns out Australia’s Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) allows up to six small boxes or bouquets of fresh flowers per flight or cruise, but they must be declared.
Flowers and live plants can carry biosecurity risks like insects, bacteria, viruses and fungi. Only cut flowers cleared by biosecurity officers are allowed. DAFF said, “They will be inspected on arrival at the Australian border.” Travelers who declare items won’t be fined, but breaches can incur fines up to $6,600 ($4,369 USD), and you could face criminal charges.
Travelers to Australia can check the Australian Border Force (ABF) website for their extensive list detailing what can be brought in without issue. Some banned items might seem obvious like weapons or live animals, but there are some prohibited things that could catch anyone by surprise like uncooked rice, pet treats, or leftover snacks from a long flight. The ABF states on its website, “You cannot bring food from the plane or ship into Australia.”
I’ve been fortunate to travel to Australia many times and I was there in December with my family. On that trip we flew from Nadi, Fiji to Sydney. My eight-year-old son had brought some dead coral he’d found on the beach in Fiji that he’d colored. I made sure that he took it out of the bag and declared it while going through customs. The agent was very nice and said that’s no problem, but I’m glad we asked.
