Pair hit with hefty fine after smuggling 240 live fish into Melbourne Airport

Two people have been hit with a hefty fine after trying to smuggle 240 live fish through a Melbourne airport two separate times.

A biosecurity officer found a bag of 120 live fish in water during a baggage inspection at Melbourne International Airport on December 29, 2019.

The fish had not been declared on the traveller's incoming passenger card. They were issued with a $420 infringement notice.

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Exactly one month later, the same traveller and his business partner were intercepted at Melbourne International Airport, when a further 122 undeclared live fish were found.

An investigation was launched after the alleged repeated attempts, which led to a civil penalty proceeding.

The first traveller was hit with a $37,000 fine by the Federal Court on April 19.

The business partner was hit with a $17,000 in the same hearing.

They are the first civil penalties issued under the Biosecurity Act 2015.

Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Senator Murray Watt said the government takes the nation's biosecurity very seriously.

"Every day our biosecurity officers keep thousands of biosecurity risk materials out of our country and it is vital that the government, industry and the wider community support their efforts," he said.

"Some of the fish that were attempted to be smuggled into our country are considered pest species to Australia and they posed a huge risk to human, animal and plant health.

"Illegally imported live fish can also impact wild capture fisheries, our growing aquaculture industries and our environment and thereby, our economy.

"Illegally imported live fish can carry diseases and other organisms, or themselves can become a pest and threaten native species.

"Tough civil penalties apply to those who break the law, and all travellers should be aware that serious breaches of Australia's biosecurity laws may result in civil penalty proceedings being brought against you."