Image copyright Australian govt Symbol caption Considered One Of the squirrels seized at Brisbane Airport on FOUR December
A Man used to be intercepted at an Australian airport after flying from Indonesia with are living squirrels smuggled in his baggage, authorities say.
The Australian resident would possibly face felony charges after the animals were detected at Brisbane Airport remaining week.
Both squirrels have been placed down after being deemed a biosecurity risk, Australian government said.
The country has strict quarantine laws that famously caught out actors Johnny Depp and Amber Heard in 2015.
The squirrels allegedly travelled in checked-in luggage from Bali, that is about six hours by airplane from Brisbane and a popular holiday vacation spot for Australians. Authorities haven’t named a potential reason.
“The scary thing around that case across the two squirrels is that half his Instagram fans idea it was a perfect idea to do that,” Agriculture Minister David Littleproud informed the Australian Associated Press.
Media captionJohnny Depp and Amber Heard apologise in 2016 for violating Australia’s quarantine rules
“These animals bring pests and diseases that could in fact hurt many Australians so it is crucial that we are not ignorant to biosecurity.”
individuals who violate Australia’s biosecurity laws face fines or as much as 5 years in jail, consistent with the Australian Border Force.
In 2016, Depp and Heard needed to record an apology video after smuggling their canine, Pistol and Boo, into Australia and turning into embroiled in a row that drew a lot attention.
Last month, former NBA participant Lamar Patterson was once additionally stopped at Brisbane Airport along with his pet dog. The canine used to be seized and deported.
