A 20-year-old Spaniard has become the first person to have his visa withdrawn by the Australian Government for entering the country with undeclared «risk items» after new biosecurity regulations came into force on January 1 to prevent the entry of diseases and pests into the country.
As detailed in a statement by the Australian Ministry of Agriculture, the Spaniard has become the first person to violate the measure, so the travel visa has been canceled and a fine of 3,300 Australian dollars (2,124 euros) has been imposed.
Specifically, the young man would have carried in his suitcase without declaring a kilo of raw pork, which included two packages of ham, a package of chorizo and another of loin of pork loin. In addition, he had also traveled with a wedge of cheese.
«The (Prime Minister Anthony) Albanese government’s tougher offences for travelers who fail to declare biosecurity risk items have come into force and one foreign traveler is already paying the price,» the Australian government said in its letter.
In this regard, it recalled that travelers attempting to enter the country with banned food products in 2023 «will be affected by the country’s toughest biosecurity infractions to date».
The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Murray Watt, has assured that this is «a strong reminder» that travelers will be caught and punished for violating «Australia’s strict biosecurity laws.»
«I hope this man regrets his actions – his visit to Australia was over before it started and he was sent back with a hefty fine,» the Agriculture Minister added.
«We are serious about keeping foot-and-mouth and other diseases out of the country, and travelers should remember that when trying to enter Australia,» he has added, recalling that actions like this could «put at risk» the country’s agricultural industries.
The young Spaniard’s penalty comes after the Australian Government announced last October that it would increase infringement fines for those caught with «prohibited items» in a bid to prevent diseases and pests from entering and becoming established in the country.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)