A Tauranga man has been fined for attempting to smuggle exotic home and garden plants from overseas. Scott David Peters, 33, was sentenced in the Auckland District Court on Wednesday and fined $5250 for trying to smuggle the plants from Thailand, the United Kingdom and India.
Peters was sentenced on one charge under the Biosecurity Act of attempting to import plants when he did not have a permit to do so, following a successful prosecution by the Ministry for Primary Industries [MPI]. The sentencing follows multiple, unsuccessful attempts by Peters to import plant material into New Zealand, all of which were intercepted by MPI.
In September 2019, Peters imported a package of plant bulbs from India. It was intercepted at the International Mail Centre and destroyed before it reached his Tauranga property. MPI Regional Manager Compliance Investigations, Simon Anderson said attempting to smuggle plants that do not have biosecurity clearance has the potential to cause the introduction of unwanted pests or diseases that could seriously affect this country’s agricultural and horticultural industry.
“When we find evidence of a deliberate attempt to break rules that are in place to protect New Zealand at the border – we will prosecute.” Anderson said MPI contacted Peters about the issue and provided educational advice to deter him from future offending.
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