Coronavirus: $24,000 fines for interstate border sneaks

Six Victorians in a mini-van have been fined $24,000 by police after using falsified documents to sneak into Queensland.

Queensland Police Deputy Commissioner Steve Gollschewski. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Josh Woning

Police have fined six Victorians in a mini-van more than $24,000 for sneaking into Queensland using falsified border declarations.

Queensland Police deputy commissioner Steve Gollschewski slammed the group, aged between 18 and 28, as “selfish” for defying the state’s coronavirus restrictions which ban anyone who has been in Victoria in the past fortnight crossing the border.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk warned anyone else trying to enter Queensland illegally that it was an expensive mistake and they would be apprehended.

“It’s not on, you will be caught and you will be fined,” she said.

The white mini-van, driven by a 19-year-old man, was first intercepted by police on Saturday night, when all six passengers were refused entry to Queensland at the M1 border control checkpoint. But the Victorians were not deterred.

“On Sunday, officers intercepted the same van on Stuart Street in Coolangatta around 2pm,” police said. “After speaking with the 19-year-old male driver it will be alleged the same group were attempting to cross the border with declarations falsely claiming they had not been in Victoria in the previous 14 days.”

Two women, 18, and four men aged 18, 19, 23 and 28 were each fined $4003 for failing to comply with the COVID-19 border direction, and were turned around.

Body camera footage shows officers scolding the Victorians, some of whom ran from the van when stopped by police on Sunday.

“The fact that you’ve had occupants in the car bail out, it’s just not on,” one officer says to the driver. “Where are they now?”

Another officer then gathers the group together and explains the importance of the official declaration on the border pass.

“All of you came up here together, you’re making an official declaration that you’re telling the truth ... considering the magnitude of what we’re talking about here, it mightn’t seem that important,” the officer said.

“But one of you might have it, one of you might have it right now, and you’re going to spread it around. Unintentionally of course, but we’re trying to stop that. You’re all going to get a fine for making a false declaration.”

The group allegedly told police they had worked in NSW for the past three weeks, but their phones showed they had been in Victoria in the past two weeks.

Queensland’s border reopened on Friday to all interstate travellers, except anyone who has been in Victoria in the past two weeks. Queenslanders returning from Victoria must pay for 14 days of mandatory hotel quarantine.

Since the border reopened, more than 850 people have been refused entry to the state and turned around.