Actress SLAPPED with $2,000 Fine for Simple Mistake on Flight to Australia: ‘I Didn’t Know I Had to Declare a Small Item’
- Indian actress Navya Nair fined for not declaring a jasmine gajra garland in her carry-on bag
- The flowers were given to her by her father to wear on her flight to Melbourne
- Authorities found the undeclared item at Melbourne Airport, risking a biosecurity breach
Navya Nair, a renowned Indian actress, has been slapped with a hefty $2,000 fine after failing to declare a small item in her carry-on luggage upon arrival in Australia.
The actress, who had travelled from Kochi in India to Singapore before her final leg to Melbourne, was carrying a jasmine gajra garland given to her by her father to wear on her flight. However, she didn’t declare the flowers, which were kept in her carry-on bag, amidst concerns they might wither during the lengthy journey.
“He told me to keep the second one in my handbag so I could wear it on the onward journey from Singapore,” Nair explained, adding, “I put it in my carry bag.”
But when officials at Melbourne Airport found the undeclared garland, Nair was hit with the massive fine. Bringing flowers into Australia isn’t illegal, provided they are declared. In fact, up to six small boxes or bouquets of fresh flowers can be brought in, but they must be declared on the Incoming Passenger Card.
Nair acknowledged her mistake, saying, “What I did was against the law. It was a mistake I made unknowingly. However, ignorance is no excuse.” The actress was in Australia to participate in an Onam event organised by the Malayalee Association of Victoria.
The incident highlights the importance of declaring all items, including flowers, upon arrival in Australia to avoid risking biosecurity breaches and hefty fines.