Popular South Indian actress Navya Nair was fined at Melbourne International Airport for unknowingly carrying a jasmine gajra in her hand luggage while travelling to Australia to attend Onam celebrations organised by the Malayali Association in Victoria. Authorities found the 15-centimetre string of jasmine and imposed a penalty of AUD 1,980 (about ₹1.14 lakh), reported The Economic Times.
According to The Economic Times, Navya explained the incident during a public event in Melbourne. “Before I came here, it was my father who bought jasmine for me. He cut it into two parts and gave it to me. He asked me to wear one in my hair from Kochi to Singapore, since it would wither by the time I reached. He told me to keep the second one in my handbag so I could wear it on the onward journey from Singapore. I put it in my carry bag,” she said.
Acknowledging her mistake, the actress admitted, “What I did was against the law. It was a mistake I made unknowingly. However, ignorance is no excuse. For bringing a 15 cm jasmine string, officials asked me to pay a fine of AUD 1,980. A mistake is a mistake, though it was not intentional. They told me the fine must be paid within 28 days.”
Despite the hefty fine, Navya took the matter lightly. Sharing a video collage of her journey on Instagram, she captioned it, “A show-off right before paying the fine.” Earlier, she had also posted photos from her flight, writing, “First-ever Thiruvonam in the skies! Though I miss being in naadu, carrying the spirit of Onam with me is a joy of its own. Work calls — and that too is another happiness. Onboard Singapore Airlines… Melbourne, here I come.”
Her video, where she appeared in a Kerala saree with jasmine in her hair, attracted attention online. Actor Ramesh Pisharody humorously commented, “I am fine, thank you.”
The fine was imposed under Australia’s stringent biosecurity laws, which prohibit the entry of plants, flowers, seeds, and similar organic items without clearance. These measures are in place to safeguard the country’s unique environment, agriculture, and wildlife from foreign pests and diseases.
Passengers arriving in Australia are required to declare such items on arrival cards, and undeclared goods can attract heavy penalties or even legal action. Authorities stress that even small amounts of foreign material can harm local crops or ecosystems.
This is not the first time travellers from India have faced penalties for violating biosecurity rules abroad. In 2002, Indian cricketers Virender Sehwag and Harbhajan Singh were fined in New Zealand for not declaring dirty shoes in their luggage. Each had to pay NZ$200 before being allowed entry.
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