A traveler has had to pay a huge fine for making the mistake of trying to take a tasty treat to another country, which cost him an extremely expensive meal.
An Indonesian visitor flew from Hong Kong to Taiwan on April 30 with a lunch box with a combination of roast chicken and pork in his luggage.
But they didn’t get a chance to enjoy it in Taipei after quarantine dogs detected it, according to Taiwan’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Agency.
The hungry tourist was fined NT$200,000 ($A9,369) for the attempted illegal food import.
But the visitor could not afford the huge fine, so he not only lost his lunch, but was also quickly deported from the country.
An Indonesian visitor flew from Hong Kong to Taiwan on April 30 with a combination lunch box of roast chicken and pork in his luggage; It ended up being a very expensive meal.
Taiwan imposed fines of NT$200,000 for bringing pork products to the island from countries affected by African swine fever (ASF) after an outbreak in China in 2018.
If the same person is caught a second time or more, the fine increases to NT$1 million.
African swine fever is a highly infectious disease that affects both domestic and wild pigs, killing around 80 percent of those affected.
Taiwan is one of the few Asian countries that is not yet affected by it.
The World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) said ASF has caused massive losses in pig numbers, with a huge financial cost.
“It is not a danger to human health, but it has devastating effects on pig populations and the agricultural economy,” the WOAH said.
“The virus is very resistant in the environment, meaning it can survive on clothing, boots, wheels and other materials.
“It can also survive in various pork products, such as ham, sausages or bacon.”
Australia, which is free of African swine fever, fines up to $6,260 for travelers who fail to declare high-risk products, such as pork and other meat products, or who provide false or misleading information.
The traveler did not have a chance to enjoy his lunch after quarantine dogs sniffed him out, according to Taiwan’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Agency. Taiwan’s Taoyuan International Airport is pictured.