A woman has been convicted in WA Magistrates Court, and ordered to pay a total of $20,000 after lying to an Australian Border Force (ABF) officer in an attempt to evade duty on tobacco products.
The traveller arrived at Perth International Airport from Qatar in May 2022, and completed her Incoming Passenger Card declaring "yes" to bringing in more than 25 cigarettes or 25g of tobacco products.
When questioned by an ABF officer, the woman advised she was carrying only two cartons of cigarettes and no tobacco products.
However, when officers conducted an x-ray and a baggage exam, they located more than five kilograms of molasses tobacco.
ABF Commander Ranjeev Maharaj said it is legal to bring in more than the duty-free amount of tobacco and cigarettes, but it must declared and all relevant duty and taxes paid on arrival into Australia.
"This is a reminder to anyone entering Australia to carefully consider everything you are bringing into the country and ensure it is correctly declared," Commander Maharaj said.
"We expect passengers to be truthful in their declarations and when being interviewed by an ABF officer. Those who aren't risk significant penalties, such as what we have seen on this occasion."
At the time, the molasses tobacco would have attracted Duty payable of $9,176.03 plus GST, half the amount of the fine.
The woman was charged with:
- smuggling goods, being 5.7kg of molasses tobacco, in contravention 233(1)(a) of the Customs Act 1901 (Cth) (Customs Act);
- evading payment of duty payable on importation of molasses tobacco, in contravention of 234(1)(a) of the Customs Act; and
- intentionally making a statement to an officer of Customs, reckless as to the fact that the statement was false or misleading in a material particular, in contravention of 234(1)(d)(i) of the Customs Act.
She faced court on 18 August 2023 and pled guilty to all charges.
