A passenger traveling from Bali, Indonesia to Australia has found themselves paying a hefty price for a McDonald’s breakfast.
Here’s what happened
The unnamed passenger was handed a fine of 2,664 Australian dollars ($1,874) after two undeclared egg and beef sausage McMuffins and a ham croissant were found in their luggage on arriving at Darwin Airport in the country’s Northern Territory last week.
The incident occurred days after Australian authorities brought in tough new biosecurity rules. The rules were framed after a Foot and Mouth disease (FMD) outbreak in Indonesia spread to Bali, a popular destination for Australian tourists.
Australia’s Department of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Forestry said a “range of undeclared risk products,” including fast food items, were detected in the passenger’s rucksack by a biosecurity detector dog named Zinta.
“This will be the most expensive Maccas meal this passenger ever had,” Murray Watt, minister for agriculture, fisheries, and forestry, said in a statement.
“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.”
Australia is FMD-free, and we want it to stay that way: Minister for Agriculture
The statement went on to confirm that the passenger had been issued with “a 12-unit infringement notice. It was for failing to declare potential high biosecurity risk items and providing a false and misleading document.” Before being destroyed, the seized products are to be tested for foot and mouth disease.
Last month, the federal executive government of Australia announced a $9.8 million biosecurity package. Certain new measures were introduced across the country’s borders. It also includes sanitation foot mats at all international airports and biosecurity dogs stationed at both Darwin and Cairns Airport. It came after the highly contagious disease began spreading through cattle in Indonesia.
Experts estimate that an outbreak in Australia could bring about an economic hit of up to $80 billion.
Anyone found in breach of rules could be issued an infringement notice
“Travelers arriving from Indonesia will be under much stricter biosecurity scrutiny due to the presence of Foot and Mouth disease (FMD) in Indonesia,” read a statement released by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. It was released on July 19.
“Failing to declare biosecurity risks will mean a breach of Australia’s laws. And anyone found in breach could be issued with an infringement notice of up to $2,664.
“Travelers entering Australia on temporary visas may have their visas canceled and if so, will be refused entry into Australia.”
About Foot and Mouth disease
FMD is relatively harmless to humans. However, it causes painful blisters and lesions on the mouths and feet of cloven-hooved animals such as cattle, sheep, pigs, goats, and camels. As a result, it stops them from eating and causes severe lameness and death in some cases.
Live animals can carry the disease. It can be in the form of in meat and dairy products, as well as on the clothing, footwear, or even luggage of people who’ve come into contact with infected animals.
“The impacts on farmers if foot and mouth get in are too gut-wrenching to even contemplate,” said Fiona Simson, president of the National Farmers’ Federation.
“But it’s not just about farmers. Wiping $80 billion off Australia’s GDP would be an economic disaster for everyone.”