Rice, tea, dairy products: Not just Jasmine flowers, Australian Customs do not allow a long and bizarre list of items at their airports

Actress Navya Nair’s recent trip to Australia turned out to be quite expensive, unexpectedly. Navya was invited to be a part of Onam celebrations; however, she had to pay a hefty amount of Rs 1.14 lakh (1980 AUD approx.) at the Customs in Melbourne International Airport- simply for carrying a 15 cm strong Jasmine garland. The flowers are typically used by Indian women, especially in South India, to accessorise hairdos.

Navya had flown to Melbourne to take part in the Onam celebrations organized by the Malayali Association of Victoria when she was stopped at the airport. Officials spotted the jasmine Gajra and slapped her with a fine of AUD 1,980. While the fine may appear bizarre to most Indians, Australia does have a long list of items that are not allowed to be taken inside the country.

Items that are banned at Australia’s International Airports

Jasmine is not the only item that is banned by the Customs in Australia. Fresh or dried flowers falls under Australia's strict biosecurity list of banned items. The list of items that are not allowed runs across 100 categories, with multiple subsections, making it an exhaustive list.

Under the "festivals" section, there are even detailed subheadings for celebrations like Diwali, Lohri, and Rakhi. One look at the list and you would be surprised at some of the items that have been banned, considering those items are common items in India.

Take a look at some of the things that travelers cannot take inside Australia

• Fresh or dried flowers
• Fresh fruit and vegetables
• Herbs, spices, raw nuts, seeds
• Dairy products
• Indian sweets like Burfi, Ras Malai, Rasgulla, Pedas, Gulab Jamun, Mysore Pak and Soan Papdi
• Rice
• Tea
• Homemade food
• Honey and beeswax
• Pet food
• Feathers, bones, skins
• Traditional medicines made with plant/animal material
• Even food you bring off a plane or ship

One also needs to declare beforehand items like down jackets, sleeping bags, pillows and quilts that have feathers.

The list gets oddly specific under certain subsections. Like for Lohri and Rakhi, radish is not allowed, along with cotton rakhi threads.

What happens if you carry these items like Navya did?

The fine slapped on Navya Nair seemed shocking to most of us, but Australia takes its biodiversity rules very seriously. The country is known to be protective of its ecosystem, and hence bringing in such items can cost a fortune for the travelers.

Items that are prohibited or undeclared at Australia's border are typically seized and destroyed. Travelers can receive an on-the-spot fine and even face visa cancellation for such breaches. In some severe cases, one can be prosecuted with heavy fines or imprisonment.

Undeclared biosecurity goods can trigger fines up to AUD 2,664 per offence, and authorities also have the power to cancel visas for deliberate breaches.

Best practice is to declare

To avoid fines, frisking, and visa cancellations, the best practice is to avoid carrying these items. Should you carry them, it is important to go through the list thoroughly and declare food, plant material, animal product,s and medicines in your passenger card.