Three pilots have been fined $400 each after attempting to carry undeclared food items into the country through Auckland.
In a post online, the Ministry of Primary Industries reminded people that "nobody is exempt from New Zealand's biosecurity restrictions" after Sophie the detector dog sniffed out three pilots in a month, all carrying undeclared items.
Her pilot haul included a raw vegetable salad, a banana and a chicken sandwich.
Anything that originates from plants, animals, or wood must be declared in New Zealand, as these common high-risk items could introduce pests or diseases through food, animal products and plant products.
"To add to her brilliant month, Sophie found fresh betel nuts and banana leaves in the pocket of a passenger who didn’t declare anything," an MPI spokesperson said.
The three pilots and the passenger were fined $400 each.
However, the fine could have been a lot worse for the pilots under proposed biosecurity updates announced last year as part of a draft bill aimed at strengthening protections against invasive pests and diseases.
One of the changes Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard announced was doubling the fine for failing to declare high-risk items such as fresh fruit and meat.
The proposed fine for high-risk items will increase from the current $400 to $800. Penalties for other goods will remain at $400.
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