Elderly woman fined Rs 1.6 lakh for undeclared sandwich by Australian customs

A 77-year-old woman from New Zealand, June Armstrong, was penalised a hefty amount of 3300 Australian dollars (equivalent to Rs 1.6 lakh) for carrying a chicken sandwich into Australia without declaring it.

During her trip from Christchurch to Brisbane, Armstrong purchased a gluten-free chicken and lettuce sandwich along with a muffin at the airport. However, upon arrival, during a routine bag check, authorities discovered the sandwich in her possession, leading to the substantial fine of Rs 1,64,000.

She had intended to consume the sandwich during her flight but fell asleep, forgetting about it in her backpack. While she duly completed the customs declaration for her prescription medication, she overlooked mentioning the sandwich, which she had accidentally left in her bag. When security personnel identified the sandwich during the inspection, she requested them to discard it.

However, instead of a mere disposal, Armstrong was informed of a 3000 Australian dollar fine for not declaring the sandwich. Initially taken aback by the severity of the penalty, she eventually accepted responsibility and paid the imposed fine.

The Australian Government's Department of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Forestry maintains strict regulations, warning travellers about the necessity of declaring items that could pose biosecurity risks. Failure to do so may lead to fines reaching up to 3756 Australian dollars, depending on the nature of the undeclared items.