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Daily Record
Daily Record
World
Mirror.co.uk & Gemma Ryder

Tourist fined £1,500 for bringing McDonald's breakfast on plane

A McDonald's breakfast has landed a tourist a £1,500 fine after they tried to bring undeclared food items into their home country.

The contraband which was discovered at Darwin airport, in Australia, by new detector dog Zinta last week, included two egg and beef sausage McMuffins, hot cakes and a ham croissant.

The order has been described as the "most expensive Macca's meal" by Australia's Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Murray Watts, who admitted he had no sympathy for the traveller.

The returning passenger was issued an infringement notice for $2,664NZD (£1,531) while the items were seized. The meat products would be tested for foot and mouth disease before they were destroyed, the Mirror reports.

It's estimated that the fine cost twice the price of an airfare to Bali.

"I have no sympathy for people who choose to disobey Australia's strict biosecurity measures, and recent detections show you will be caught," he added.

"Australia is FMD-free, and we want it to stay that way."

He said it was "excellent" to see Zinta was already contributing to keeping the country safe.

Foot and mouth disease (FMD) was a highly-contagious virus that largely affected hooved animals. An outbreak of the disease was currently spreading through Indonesia and Bali.

If the virus reached Australian shores, it could cost as much as $80 billion over 10 years.

Australia's Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) said FMD can be carried in meat and dairy products.
It was found in soil, bones, untreated hides, vehicles and equipment and could also survive in frozen, chilled and freeze-dried foods including meat and dairy products.

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