Woman fined $2,750 for crossing Australian border with a chicken sandwich

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A New Zealand woman was fined NZD$3,300 ($2,750) for bringing a chicken sandwich she forgot was in her backpack through Australian border control.

June Armstrong, the 77-year-old Canterbury grandmother, bought a muffin and chicken sandwich, which was sealed, from Christchurch Airport on May 2.

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“I sat down and ate some of my muffin and I really didn’t feel like it so I threw the rest away, but I put the sandwich in my small backpack,” she told the New Zealand Herald.

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“I just clearly forgot. I am very forgetful, but not forgetful enough to be diagnosed with dementia.”

While on the flight, Armstrong filled out a declaration form for some prescription medication in her possession.

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Upon landing in Australia, border patrol officers went through her backpack and found the chicken sandwich.

“I said, ‘Oh, I forgot about that, I’m sorry. Could you throw it away for me?’ He just kept going through my bag.”

The officer emptied her bag on the table, and went away for a short while.

“Twelve points, 3,300,″ he told her after returning.

“I said, ‘What does that mean?’ and he said, ‘Twelve points, NZD$3,300′.”

Asking him if he was joking, Armstrong began to cry when she realized he was being serious.

“I was just sobbing and said ‘$3300 for a little sandwich?’”

Australian authorities told the Herald she needed an import permit for the meat product and could have faced a much higher penalty.

One border patrol agent “strongly advised” she appeal the fine, which she attempted to do within the 28-day payment period, only to receive generic automatic responses.

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“My husband kept saying, ‘Just pay it.’ I said, ‘It’s our pension, we can’t afford this’.”

Armstrong ultimately paid the fine, but continued to inquire as to why she was fined considering it was her first infringement, in addition to the sandwich being sealed.

“Meat has strict import conditions which can change quickly based on disease outbreaks,” a spokeswoman for Australia’s Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry told the Herald.

“Uncanned meats, including vacuum-sealed items, are not allowed into Australia unless accompanied by an import permit.”

Though Armstrong declared the prescription medication she was carrying, she did not declare the sandwich.

“Where travellers fail to declare risk items,” the department spokeswoman said, “they may be given an infringement notice up to AU$6,260 ($5,650).”

“All food products must be declared on arrival and may be inspected to ensure they comply with import conditions. Items that do not meet these conditions are not permitted into Australia.”

The grandmother wanted her unfortunate experience to be a warning to others.

“I should let it go, and my husband says I should, but they just don’t give me any answers. Everybody I show the fine to is dumbfounded, they just can’t believe it.”

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