New Zealand cracks down on banned goods

AUCKLAND, New Zealand (PINA Nius) — Roast pigs and bananas from Tonga were seized at Auckland airport as New Zealand’s Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry expressed concern at the increase in attempts to bring in banned goods.

The New Zealand Herald newspaper said passengers flying to New Zealand could have their bags x-rayed under new plans to fight a surge in the smuggling of banned plants and animals.

Figures obtained by the New Zealand Herald show seizures of banned goods have jumped 150 per cent in five years. And more than a quarter of the items seized had not been declared on arrival cards.

On a flight from Tonga that arrived in Auckland on Friday, officers seized 2 kilograms (4.4 pounds) of undeclared bananas detected by an x-ray machine and two home-processed roast pigs that had been declared, the New Zealand Herald said.

New rules already approved by the government will enable Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry staff to impose instant fines on people carrying undeclared fruit, plant or animal products from July 1.

Neil Hyde, quarantine services general manager, told the New Zealand Herald his officers made 51,000 seizures in the six months to last December 31. Of those, 14,000 had not been declared.

“It does not occur to some people that New Zealand has a very unique environment that needs protecting,” said Mr. Hyde.

“Some of it is deliberate organized crime, there are people who do not understand the quarantine rules, and there are people who are just careless.”

Most of the illegal goods were fruit. The haul also included 2,000 live animals, 3,400 live plants, and 1,200 honey and pollen products.

Mr. Hyde said the x-rays, installed in 1996, and sniffer dogs are effective and unobtrusive ways to check luggage.

About 60 percent of passengers either have their bags searched or x-rayed.

The government has given approval for the ministry to study the costs and benefits of x-raying all arriving luggage, although nothing would be introduced without consulting airlines and airport companies.

The Tourism Industry Association said that it understood the need to protect the country’s biosecurity, but it hoped law-abiding passengers would not be further delayed. The average delay for someone diverted to the baggage x-ray is 1 minute and 15 seconds, the New Zealand Herald said.

Airlines already show videos and publish warnings in their in-flight magazines, said the board’s executive director, Stewart Milne.