A 67 year-old South Korean tourist has been refused entry to Australia for attempting to smuggle a quantity of cigarettes which had been concealed in the lining of her baggage.
The woman arrived at Perth International Airport on Tuesday, 7 January 2020, on a flight from Singapore.
Australian Border Force (ABF) officers were alerted after Biosecurity officers located ten cartons of undeclared cigarettes (2,000 sticks) under the lining of her suitcase.
The maximum allowance for duty free cigarettes being brought into Australia is 25 sticks.
The woman’s visa was cancelled for providing incorrect information on her Incoming Passenger Card (IPC) by declaring she did not have more than 25 cigarettes.
She was detained at the Perth Immigration Detention Centre (PIDC) pending her removal on a flight back to Singapore yesterday (8 January).
ABF Regional Commander for WA, Rod O’Donnell, said the ABF was constantly on the lookout for people attempting to bring in more than their duty free allowance of cigarettes and tobacco.
“Tobacco smuggling is one of the ABF’s operational priorities, whether it be by organised crime syndicates, individual profiteers or smokers stockpiling supplies,” Commander O’Donnell said.
“Ten cartons may not seem like a lot, but this was a blatant attempt to circumvent Australia’s cigarette importation regulations.
“Our officers are alert to travellers seeking to bypass our border requirements, and the consequences for those caught can be severe.
“It is a legal requirement under the Migration Act 1958 for all passengers arriving in Australia to honestly answer all questions on their IPC. As with this case, foreign citizens who do not do that risk being refused immigration clearance.”
