An Australian resident has been fined more than $50,000 after failing to declare 8.5kg of gold jewellery worth over $1.3 million at Sydney International Airport.
The man arrived in Sydney earlier this month on a flight from the United Arab Emirates and was selected by Australian Border Force (ABF) officers for a baggage examination.
During the inspection, officers discovered two containers holding a combined 8.5kg of gold jewellery. The passenger had not completed an import declaration for the goods, which were valued at more than $1.3 million.
According to Australian Border Force, under Australian import rules, goods worth more than AUD$1,000 being cleared into home consumption require an import declaration.
When questioned, the man told ABF officers he had been trying to avoid paying customs duty and deferred GST, which were estimated at almost $209,000.
The gold jewellery was seized for further assessment and referred to the ABF's Trade Intervention Unit. The following day, the unit issued the traveller with an infringement notice totalling $50,448.04, Australian Border Force has reported.
The penalty was subsequently paid in full, along with the outstanding duties and deferred GST. The total amount paid came to $259,352.92, after which the gold jewellery was released to the passenger.
ABF Acting Superintendent Neil Singh said travellers attempting to avoid their tax obligations risk being identified through border intelligence and passenger behaviour monitoring.
“Attempting to evade duty and GST obligations is a serious offence that undermines the integrity of the border system,” Acting Supt Singh said, as quoted by Australian Border Force.
“Australia's border relies on travellers making honest and accurate declarations of dutiable and taxable goods.
“This traveller thought they had a golden opportunity to smuggle their million-dollar goods into the country, but the plan fell in a heap, and they ended up paying a much larger bill.
“Let this be a message to anyone thinking about smuggling undeclared goods into the country – ABF officers won’t tolerate those who seek to line their pockets through deception and deliberate breaches of the law,” Australian Border Force has quoted.