Sausage smuggler sent packing
A Belgian air passenger has been forced to leave New Zealand after attempting to smuggle three sausages into Auckland.
Ministry for Primary Industries staff intercepted the sausages on Sunday after the passenger attempted to conceal them
in a backpack when passing through biosecurity checks at Auckland Airport.
“One of our x-ray operators spotted the risk items. They turned out to be pork and salami sausages, both of which could
have carried diseases with the potential to cause major harm to New Zealand agriculture,” says Craig Hughes, MPI North
Passenger Manager.
The passenger was refused entry to New Zealand after the man admitted he intended to hide the sausages from biosecurity
officials.
He was returning to New Zealand on a work visa and confessed he was aware of New Zealand’s strict biosecurity
requirements, says Mr Hughes.
“Working closely with Immigration New Zealand, we take a very hard line on international travellers that deliberately
ignore our biosecurity rules.
“It is loud and clear that every arriving passenger is required to declare or dispose items that could pose biosecurity
risk to New Zealand.”