June 26, 2025
A woman has been prosecuted for illegally importing more than 62,000kg of Thai food into Australia, including illegal pork products, insect-infested fresh fruit and vegetables, frog meat and raw prawns.
The woman co-ordinated the importation as well as the presentation of false and misleading documents to evade biosecurity controls.
She was sentenced earlier this month in a NSW court to two years’ jail, to be served as as Intensive Corrections Order, and 150 hours’ community service.
A Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry spokesperson said a confidential source tipped the department off about a prolific amount of prohibited food available on the black market in Sydney.
Operation Torch identified the woman and the goods were seized.
“Individuals can face up to 10 years in jail and up to $1.6 million in fines if they breach our biosecurity laws,” Deputy Secretary Justine Saunders said.
“The importation of such a large amount of food from Thailand, some of it infested with live pests, presents numerous biosecurity risks to Australia.”
