A New Zealand woman's forgetfulness landed her in hot water when she was slapped with a hefty fine for failing to declare a forgotten sandwich upon arriving in Australia. June Armstrong, 77, had purchased a gluten-free chicken and lettuce sandwich and a muffin at Christchurch Airport before boarding her flight to Brisbane. Upon landing, she was subjected to a routine bag check, during which the sandwich was discovered. Ms Armstrong's negligence resulted in a staggering fine of Rs 1,64,000.
According to the NZ Herald, Ms Armstrong had packed a gluten-free chicken and lettuce sandwich for her flight from Christchurch to Brisbane. She intended to eat the sandwich during the three-and-a-half-hour journey. However, she fell asleep during the flight and forgot about the sandwich. When she arrived in Brisbane, she completed the customs declaration form, as she was carrying prescription medication. However, she completely forgot about the sandwich in her backpack. Upon passing through customs security, her backpack was checked, and the sandwich was discovered. Armstrong asked a security officer if they could dispose of the sandwich for her.
The security officer discarded the sandwich but then informed Ms Armstrong that she would be fined 3000 Australian dollars (approximately Rs 1,64,513) for failing to declare it. Armstrong was initially skeptical of the fine, but upon realizing the seriousness of the situation, she broke down and eventually paid the penalty.
The Australian Government's Department of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Forestry website warns that individuals who fail to declare goods that could pose a "high level of biosecurity risk" face fines of up to 3756 Australian dollars, depending on the nature of the items.
