An airline passenger was fined thousands of dollars after a K-9 sniffed out smuggled McDonald’s breakfast sandwiches, the Australian government boasted this week.
A dog in Australia’s Darwin Airport responded to a passenger’s backpack after the person had traveled there from Indonesia last week with what appeared to be McDonald’s pancakes, two egg and beef sausage McMuffins, and a ham croissant. Australian officials described the food as “a variety of risk items,” including “undeclared meat.”
The unidentified male was hit with a staggering $2,664 fine, which equates to about $1,845 in U.S. dollars, for failing to declare what is potentially a biosecurity risk and issuing a false travel declaration form, according to the government.
Murray Watt, Australia’s Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, cheered the bust and said he had “no sympathy” for the man who was fined.
“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,” Watt said.
In a press release, the department said it was “detector dog Zinta” who sniffed out the food, adding, “The seized meat products will be tested for foot and mouth disease (FMD) before they are destroyed.”
“Australia is FMD-free, and we want it to stay that way,” Watt said. “Zinta was placed at Darwin Airport as part of the Albanese Government’s tough new biosecurity defences, and it’s excellent to see she is already contributing to keeping the country safe.”
“Biosecurity is no joke—it helps protect jobs, our farms, food and supports the economy,” the secretary continued. “Passengers who choose to travel need to make sure they are fulfilling the conditions to enter Australia, by following all biosecurity measures.”
An Australian woman last month was hit with the same fine after she failed to declare two ingredients, chicken and lettuce, on her footlong Subway sandwich.
“I didn’t tick chicken and I didn’t tick lettuce. Chicken and lettuce,” Jessica Lee said via social media. “And that is a nice little $2,664 … to be paid in 28 days. Such an expensive rookie mistake.”
Subway helped Lee out by sending her a Subway gift card for $2,664, the amount of her fine.
“To say thank you for eating fresh, we’ve uploaded a sub card with $2,664 just for you,” a letter from Subway to Lee said. “We hope this covers all your chicken and lettuce needs. Love from your Subway fans.”
“Subway, you have outdone yourself and this fine is worth every single penny,” Lee shared on social media.
Source: Dailywire
