Live fish hidden in a pillow were among 180,000 items seized at Australia’s airports

Live fish, seeds and meat were among 180,000 risk products detected at airports in the past six months, a huge increase on previous periods.

Airport security x-ray equipment revealed bags of live fish stuffed in a pillow. Picture: Department of Agriculture.

Forgetting to remove laptops from cases is not the only slip travellers are guilty of since air travel took off just over a year ago.

New data released by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry shows detections of biosecurity risk products at airports climbed substantially post Covid-19 to more than 180,000 items in the six months from July to December last year.

The figure was up 24 per cent on the same period in 2019, and equivalent to almost 1000 detections every day, despite arrivals being well down on pre-pandemic numbers.

Among the more unusual discoveries were multiple bags of live aquarium fish hidden in a pillow; seeds concealed as medication; beef declared as mango pickles and sealed cans containing plant and animal material.

All of those items were seized from travellers going through Perth Airport.

Biosecurity officers at Perth Airport discovered bags of live aquarium fish hidden in a pillow last year. Picture: Department of Agriculture.

A department spokesman said increased vigilance around items such as herbs, spices, grains, legumes and nuts to address the risk of Khapra beetle, contributed to the jump in detections.

In the case of herbs and spices, detections per 100,000 travellers leapt 83 per cent, and seizures of grains, legumes and nuts climbed 74 per cent.

Overall, animal products and herbs or spices accounted for 40 per cent of all “actionable product detections” — actionable meaning they required destruction or treatment.

The only category of biosecurity risk items to record a decrease in detections post Covid-19 was fruit and fruit products, which were down 16 per cent per 100,000 arrivals.

As Australia’s biggest gateway, Sydney Airport had the most detections of biosecurity risks, followed by Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth.

The spokesman said the department continually monitored biosecurity risks across the globe and adjusted border control measures as required to meet specific risks.

Although “conditions changed regularly”, the spokesman said biosecurity messaging remained the same.

“Travellers are encouraged to leave risk goods behind and always declare any biosecurity items when arriving in Australia,” he said.

“Airport clearance is quicker if you don’t bring these goods.”

Seeds were hidden in medicine packets. Picture: Department of Agriculture.

Fines of up to $5500 applied to travellers who broke the rules, and there was also the possibility visitors could be denied entry.

Cleaning of footwear was also happening much more often at airports due to the risk of bringing in foot and mouth disease.

In the six months to December 31, biosecurity officers cleaned 74 per cent more shoes per 100,000 travellers than the same period in 2019.

The figure was in addition to the use of sanitising mats for travellers as they came off flights from Indonesia.

Australian Airports Association chief executive James Goodwin said heightened surveillance since the foot and mouth disease outbreak was contributing to increased detections.

“Everyone plays their part to keep Australia safe from bio security threats,” Mr Goodwin said.

“Advice to travellers is to check what you can and can’t bring into the country, and declare any potential items just in case.”

A total of 6.8 million people arrived into Australia in the period in question, including returning Australians, international students and migrants.