Australia fines traveller from Indonesia nearly US$2,000 for undeclared McMuffins: ‘Biosecurity is no joke’

The country’s agriculture minister said he had ‘no sympathy for people who choose to disobey Australia’s strict biosecurity measures’

Australian authorities have implemented new biosecurity rules after a foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in Indonesia spread to Bali

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The McDonald’s breakfast food items that were seized by Australian border guards from a traveller arriving from Indonesia. Photo: Australian Ministry of Agriculture Handout via AFP

Published: 2:04pm, 2 Aug 2022Updated: 6:50pm, 2 Aug 2022

An airline passenger has been fined nearly US$2,000 after two undeclared egg and beef sausage McMuffins and a ham croissant were found in their luggage by an airport security dog upon arriving in Australia.

The unnamed person travelling from Indonesia to Australia was fined A$2,664 (US$1,869) after the trio of McDonald’s breakfast sandwiches were found in their luggage on arriving at Darwin Airport, Australia’s Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry reported.

The incident took place on the heels of Australian authorities implementing new biosecurity rules after a foot and mouth disease (FMD) outbreak in Indonesia spread to Bali, multiple outlets reported.

An Indonesian official uses a blowgun to give cows a vaccine against foot-and-mouth disease in Denpasar, Bali, last month. Photo: AP

“This will be the most expensive Maccas meal this passenger ever has, 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,” Agriculture Minister Murray Watt said in a news release.

According to Watt, the airport’s new biosecurity detector dog, Zinta, uncovered the meat last week in a backpack of a passenger arriving from Indonesia.

The seized meat products will be tested for FMD before they are destroyed, Watt said.

“Australia is FMD-free, and we want it to stay that way,” he said. “Biosecurity is no joke – it helps protect jobs, our farms, food and supports the economy. Passengers who choose to travel need to make sure they are fulfilling the conditions to enter Australia, by following all biosecurity measures.”