An Indian actress has found herself in a bit of a pickle after receiving a $2,000 fine upon her arrival in Australia. Naviya Naia, who had traveled from Kochi to Singapore before making her way to Melbourne, brought along a Jasmine Gajra Garland from her father—something she wore in her hair during the flight.
Her dad actually planned ahead, giving her a second wreath for the long trip, just in case the first one didn’t make it. “He suggested I hold the second one in my handbag so I could wear it after I arrived in Australia,” she explained.
However, when she landed in Melbourne and didn’t declare the flowers, airport officials noticed the garland and slapped her with that hefty fine. In Australia, while it’s not illegal to bring flowers, you do need to declare them.
According to the DAFF website, travelers can bring in up to six small boxes or bouquets of fresh flowers, but there’s a catch: you have to let them know on your incoming passenger cards.
If you do have flowers and don’t declare them, well, the penalties can get pretty steep—up to $6,600 for certain imports. It’s mainly because living plants can carry all sorts of pests and diseases.
Nair acknowledged her oversight, saying, “What I did was against the law. It was a mistake I made without my knowledge, but ignorance is not an excuse.” She admitted that failing to declare the flower was her fault.
The actress was reportedly in Australia for an ONAM festival event hosted by the Malayaly Association of Victoria, which celebrates the harvest festival from her home state of Kerala, India.
