The Australian Border Force (ABF) has cautioned airport workers about the critical importance of obeying the law, after two flight engineers in Brisbane were caught removing food and goods subject to customs control from arriving international aircraft in recent weeks.
This morning, ABF officers executed a Customs Act warrant on a flight engineer operating at Brisbane International Airport. The man was intercepted following his embarkation and disembarkation on a recently arrived international flight from the United States.
The man had in his possession a full duffle bag of foodstuff including bread rolls, crisps, chocolates, yoghurt and airline meals containing meat products. He was allegedly observed previously conducting similar activity several times, which came to the attention of the ABF.
The employee was cautioned and interviewed, with investigations ongoing. Serious criminal penalties exist with financial sanctions of up to $111,000.
The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry has also been engaged to assess any biosecurity concerns that may exist.
On a separate occasion, on 4 July 2022, ABF officers executed a Customs Act warrant on a flight engineer from a different airline, who was suspected of attending work on 4 June 2022 when not rostered for a shift, and travelling airside for the arrival of a flight from New Zealand where he subsequently removed baked goods from the aircraft.
During that warrant, the employee was cautioned and his rights were explained. He allegedly stated he had gone airside and entered the aircraft, receiving baked items from a flight attendant. Once confronted by colleagues a short time later, the man allegedly placed the goods in the Foreign Object Debris bin.
ABF officers inspected the bin and conducted trace technology testing, which returned a negative result for banned substances. The man was fined $3,300 for moving goods subject to Customs Control.
ABF Commander Pam Radin said both incidents were serious in nature.
“These incidents come as our officers across the country redouble their efforts to push back against the capability of criminal organisations to infiltrate the international supply chain, through Operation Jardena," Commander Radin said.
“The purpose of the operation is to harden the border by delivering a coordinated, intelligence-led and sustained capability to discover, detect, disrupt and dismantle transnational organised crime that may compromise Australia's border integrity.
“My message to airport workers is simple: obey the law. Now more than ever before, our officers are highly alert to anybody who may seek to circumvent our stringent border measures – regardless of their reason."
Members of the community are encouraged to report suspicious border-related activity through Border Watch. Reports can be made anonymously.
Media enquiries:
ABF Media: (02) 6264 2211
