Australian Customs Find Banana Plants in Passengers Underpants

Australian Customs stopped an international airline passenger from attempting to allegedly smuggle live plants in her underpants. The 56-year-old Czech Republic woman arrived at Sydney International Airport on a flight from Samoa on Wednesday (22 October).

Customs officers questioned the woman and became suspicious that she was concealing something on her body.

A female officer conducted a frisk search on the woman which indicated the possible concealment of something in her underpants.

Officers allegedly discovered a package containing three live banana plants.

Quarantine officers seized the plants as they pose a significant threat to the health and productivity of Australia’s banana industry.

The smuggled plants could be carrying the banana diseases, black sigatoka, fusarium wilt and moko disease.

Penalties for breaching quarantine legislation can result in fines of more than $60,000 and 10 years in jail.

Quarantine investigations are continuing.

Source: Australian Customs Service

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