Coronavirus Australia: ABF seize COVID-19 PPE shipments to stop hoarding, profiteering

Border officers have seized more than 1500 consignments of personal protective equipment under tough new export controls aimed at stamping out hoarding and profiteering.

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Australian Border Force officers have seized more than 1500 consignments of COVID-19 personal protective equipment (PPE) under tough new export controls aimed at stamping out hoarding and profiteering.

In just two weeks, the ABF has detained more than 234,090 face masks, 29,800 pairs of gloves, 120 consignments of sanitiser products, 1815 disposable gowns, 104 mask filters and 128 other PPE products as part of Operation Hangfire, which was established to enhance Australia’s import and export screening of essential goods during the pandemic.

Australian Border Force has seized PPE shipments to stamp out hoarding and profiteering.

The ABF was working around the clock to protect Australians and had “stepped up to make sure dodgy medical supplies don’t come into this country in this time of great need”, Assistant Customs Minister Jason Wood said.

“Going back to days as a police officer I know that organised criminals will always try and take advantage in a bad situation and that is combined with companies wanting to make a fast buck and sell dodgy products.”

The new Prohibited Exports Regulations introduced on 30 March 2020 address hoarding, non-commercial export and profiteering of essential goods.

Australian Border Force detained almost two million pairs of gloves, more than 83,400 face masks and 76 consignments of sanitiser products

Mr Wood said a huge amount of work was also being undertaken at the border to streamline legitimate imports of COVID-19 supplies and to prevent the importation of unapproved medical devices and products.

“The government recognises the need for the Australian community to access critical goods as quickly as possible” he said.

Border force officers are working with the Therapeutic Goods Administration and the Department of Agriculture, Water and Environment to ensure legitimate COVID-19 testing kits and other legitimate protective equipment can clear the borders quickly.

Assistant Minister Wood said a huge amount of work was also being undertaken at the border to streamline legitimate imports of COVID-19 supplies and to prevent the importation of unapproved medical devices and products.

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“The ABF is equally committed to preventing unauthorised imports of items such as ‘home’ COVID-19 test kits and personal protective equipment that does not meet Australian standards,” it said.

More than 10,000 suspected unapproved home or self COVID-19 test kits have been referred to the TGA for assessment.

In Australia, the advertising and supply of home or self tests for serious infectious diseases, such as COVID-19, is prohibited under therapeutic goods legislation.