Biosecurity officers have seized a cumquat cutting at Brisbane Airport which had allegedly been hidden inside the innertube of a tyre.
Head of Plant Biosecurity at the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources, Dr Marion Healy, said the passenger did not declare the citrus budwood and would now face further action.
“This was a direct attempt to try and circumvent our biosecurity system,” Dr Healy said.
“When searching the passenger’s baggage, officers located a tyre with an inner tube that was secured with tape. The officers removed the tape and inner tube and discovered a single budwood stick, which has since been identified as cumquat.
“If people incorrectly import plant material to Australia, it can harbour pests and diseases that can impact on our horticultural industries, environment and market access.
“What makes this case even more shocking was that the department identified that the passenger is employed in a horticulture sector that was significantly impacted by the 2005 outbreak of citrus canker.
“The fact that this passenger has put his own industry, as well as the whole of Australia, at risk is both unbelievable and disappointing.”
Last year, 340,000 biosecurity risk items were intercepted at Australia’s borders, including live marine animals, reptiles, seeds and plants.
