New Zealand fined a 77-year-old for 'importing' a chicken sandwich into the country

An elderly woman had to use her pension money to pay a fine imposed for entering New Zealand with a chicken sandwich, The New Zealand Herald reported on Tuesday (Nov 21).

Seventy-seven-year-old June Armstrong was carrying a chicken and lettuce sandwich inher backpack as she flew from Christchurch Airport to Brisbane Airport in northeastern Australia on May 2.

But when she landed in Australia, she was fined $1,995 for bringing that uneaten sandwich into the country. However, when she reached the airport, the authorities told her about a fine by customs.

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Why was she fined?

Reports say that she had packed the sandwich in her bag before boarding the flight. She haddeclared her prescription medication to authorities, however, she forgot about the sandwich. She said she had planned to eat the sandwich on the flight but she fell asleep.

The report mentioned that a border patrol staff had also advised her to appeal the fine, but she only received automatic replies when she tried appealing the fine. Now with her experience, she wants to inform people so that they can avoid such situations.

As quoted by the NZ Herald, she said: "I was just sobbing and said '$NZ3300 for a little sandwich?'"

She told the media outlet that she assumed that the official would just throw the sandwich away. But shockingly, they actually fined her after discussing the situation, and telling her that it was "12 points".

She and her husband rely on their pensions, and she told the newspaper that she struggled to pay the fine. She was quoted as saying that "everybody I show the fine to is dumbfounded, they just can't believe it".

A representative for Australia's Department of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Forestry told Business Insider that she could only have imported the sandwich into Australia if she had an import authorisation.

As quoted, the spokesperson said: "Meat has strict import conditions which can change quickly based on disease outbreaks."

The spokesperson also added that passengers can be fined up to $4,100 for bringing unauthorised food items into the country.