International student is Ghosted following meaty detection at AdelaideAirport

An international student faced a significant setback upon arrival at Adelaide Airport this week, as their visa was abruptly cancelled, and they were slapped with a hefty infringement notice of $3,756. Their offense? Attempting to sneak in more than 2kg of cooked meat, eggs, and frangipani flowers into Australia.

The student’s illicit cargo was swiftly detected by the sharp senses of Ghost, a diligent biosecurity detector dog, who expertly sniffed out the prohibited items at the airport’s baggage claim area.

Working alongside his handler, Rebecca, Ghost’s keen nose led to the discovery of 2.7kg of cooked meat, suspected to be pork, along with 301g of cooked egg, and 6 fresh frangipani flowers. None of these items had been declared by the traveller on their Incoming Passenger Card.

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Detector Dog Ghost finds

The severity of the situation escalated when the passenger was referred to the Australian Border Force, which upheld the recommendation of biosecurity officers to cancel the student’s visa.

Deputy Secretary of Biosecurity and Compliance, Tina Hutchison, emphasised the importance of travellers adhering to biosecurity regulations by declaring all food, animals, plants, and seeds on their Incoming Passenger Card. Hutchison reiterated that transparency is key, urging travellers to truthfully declare all items to biosecurity officers upon arrival.

Hutchison reassured travellers that honesty during declaration would not result in penalties under the Biosecurity Act 2015, highlighting the vital role of frontline biosecurity officers and detector dog teams in safeguarding Australia’s agricultural industries, food supply chain, environment, and way of life.

Detector Dog Ghost

Ghost, a 2.5-year-old male Labrador, is a testament to the success of Australia’s detector dog program, having stopped nearly 400 biosecurity risk items from entering the country in his first year alone. Funded through an $11.7 million investment, Ghost is one of 11 detector dogs currently in operation, with plans for 20 additional dogs to be deployed by the end of 2024.

In 2023, biosecurity officers across Australia’s international airports intercepted nearly 400,000 biosecurity risk items, including over 19,000 at Adelaide Airport alone. Ghost’s exemplary performance underscores the invaluable contribution of detector dogs in preserving Australia’s biosecurity.

Ghost’s remarkable achievements include intercepting various prohibited items such as sausages, guava, and pork floss, demonstrating his unwavering dedication to his duty and the critical role he plays in safeguarding Australia’s borders.

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