Limo driver, three passengers and a 79-year-old cop quarantine attempting to cross border

A limo driver, his three ‘uncooperative’ passengers and a 79-year-old man have copped quarantine for allegedly making false declarations attempting to cross the border into Queensland.

A 79-year-old has been placed into hotel quarantine on the Gold Coast after making a false declaration at the Queensland border.

Queensland Deputy Police Commissioner Steve Gollschewski said of the more than 1600 vehicles stopped at the state’s borders yesterday, two attempted to enter “on false declarations”, including one driven by the 79-year-old.

Long queue of motorists entering Queensland from New South Wales. Photo by Regi Varghese/Getty Images

He said the other was a limousine with the driver and three passengers on board.

All four have also been placed into quarantine.

“The three passengers are not co-operating at the moment so further investigations are ongoing and the driver has been fined $4135 for a false declaration,” Mr Gollschewski said.

“For those coming into our state understand what is required of you.”

Queensland Police said the limousine was stopped at a Covid border checkpoint along the M1 at Tugun about 4pm on Thursday.

Police will allege the 43-year-old driver did not have a Queensland Border Pass and had travelled to Sydney - a declared New South Wales hotspot - within the past 14 days.

The driver has returned to his home NSW and his three female passengers, aged 33, 36 and 42, who are all Queensland residents, have been placed in hotel quarantine.

Police are working with the women to determine where in the state they live.

A police spokesman said “investigations are ongoing as to their movements within Queensland and New South Wales”.

Queensland Police Deputy Commissioner Steve Gollschewski speaks during a Covid update press conference. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the state’s border would close to Victoria from 1am Saturday.

“Victoria has entered that lockdown period and once again, Queenslanders wish Victorians all the very best as they go through that five-day lockdown,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

“Because of that lockdown and the increase in cases and the restrictions there, we will be declaring Victoria a hotspot from 1am tomorrow.

“That means anyone returning after that time will have to do the 14 days’ mandatory quarantine. I just think the clear message to Queenslanders is definitely, do not go to NSW and do not go to Victoria during this period of time.

“We know that Victorians get on top of these issues very, very quickly.”