Great, then declare it and there shouldn’t be any problem. Where the problem comes in is people not declaring it. If it’s hidden somewhere in their luggage or on their person how is anyone supposed to know that?
Granted it is harsh in this case which I already said but customs has no interest in letting people skirt the rules just because.
The people who see the massive signs all the way through the arrival hall with pictures of stuff like sandwiches. Seriously, you can’t miss them
Never been in an aussie airport so I’ll take your word for it. Still though having to declare a sandwich is beyond absurd. I get the reasoning for raw foodstuffs but a cooked chicken sandwich isn’t carrying anything that granny couldn’t also just be carrying in her body.
Perhaps anyone listening to the plane announcements, looks at any one of the multitude of signs on arrival, or anyone (everyone) who fills out the incoming passenger card? It’s not at all unclear what you have to do when you’re there. They make it clear to declare everything at multiple points. There is no penalty for declaring something even if it’s not allowed in.
On the first side of the incoming passenger card, half of it is taken up by the question:
Are you bringing into Australia:
[…]
Meat, poultry, fish, seafood, eggs, dairy, fruit, vegetables?
Grains, seeds, bulbs, straw, nuts, plants, parts of plants, traditional medicines or herbs, wooden articles?
Animals, parts of animals, animal products including equipment, pet food, eggs, biologicals, specimens, birds, fish, insects, shells, bee products?
Don’t forget to declare any stuff that might get trapped on your shoes. Iirc people have been jailed for having “marijuana traces” on them.
EDIT: not sure why people are voting down but this actually happened: https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=18842015
They found it after they went through her backpack.
Extra info: if you declare everything, even if it’s something that’s definitely not allowed, you will not get into any trouble. I’m talking about food and stuff not drugs or guns. They just don’t want people to not be declaring things that then slip through without inspection. That’s why there’s a heavy fine if they have to “catch” you. A lot of things are okay’d to be brought in after inspection.
How’d they find it in her backpack?
Do they just search people’s luggage in addition to having them ‘declare’ things?
Everyone is searched going through customs. There are also dogs trained to sniff out everything.
