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Almost 40 tonnes of high-risk foods, including turtle and frog meat from overseas, have been seized by Australian biosecurity officials.
Key points:
- Biosecuirty officials find 38 tonnes of high-risk foods imported to Sydney warehouse
- The seized meat includes turtles, frogs, pork and prawns
- Authorities are investigating how the foods arrived
The shipment of what appears to be illegally smuggled foods was detected in a Sydney warehouse by quarantine officials in late February.
Speaking to 2GB today, Agriculture Minister Murray Watt said it was "one of the largest ever biosecurity hauls in Australian history."
Senator Watt would not say from where the shipment had arrived but said it had been part of a larger 250-tonne shipment of goods.
"A really diligent biosecurity officer from the Commonwealth Department discovered this at a Sydney warehouse about a month or so ago," Senator Watt said.
"What we've found is 38 tonnes worth of biosecurity risk material, and that includes turtle meat, frog meat, pig meat, beef meat, all sorts of things, prawns and amongst a much bigger shipment.
"So this is now under serious investigation, and people could be facing up to 10 years in jail," Senator Watt said.
Fines for breaching Australia's biosecurity laws can cost companies as much as $6,875,000 or individuals $1,375,000.
Australia's chief vet Mark Schipp said white spot disease had been detected in some of the seized prawns.
"In terms of managing the biosecurity risk, it's not necessary to test the products," Dr Schipp said.
"However, we have commenced testing on the prawns, and we have found white spot disease in one of the bags of products that we've tested to date.
"Further testing is anticipated to be undertaken, in part to identify the origin of the goods, particularly the horticulture and plant products, because they have soil attached."
Dr Schipp feared contaminated meat could spread diseases in livestock.
"If somebody was to discard these products on a tip or on the side of the road, a feral pig could pick those up and transmit foot-and-mouth disease or African swine fever very easily."
In a statement, the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry confirmed its officers had received search warrants for a property in western Sydney and determined that more than 38 tonnes of produce represented a biosecruity risk, including beef, chicken, duck, pig meat, geese, frog meat, raw prawns, plant products, and soil.
Biosecurity is highest priority
Concerns have been raised about Australia's biosecurity services since it was revealed the federal Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry was operating with hundreds of millions of dollars' worth of debt.
This week, Senator Watt told ABC's Landline he had confidence in the department's leadership.
"I've been very clear with the department that it's my expectation that biosecurity services remain our highest priority, despite the savings measures that are going to need to be taken to get us through this financial year," he said.
"We've invested significant new funds in biosecurity, particularly to prevent foot-and-mouth disease and lumpy skin disease from getting to the country.
He said people could be assured that biosecurity remained his biggest priority.
"We will stop at nothing to keep these diseases out," he said.
On alert
Australia has strict quarantine laws to protect billions of dollars of environmental and agricultural assets and industries from pests and disease.
One of the most threatening concerns is foot-and-mouth disease which affects livestock and can be transmitted through meat.
It was detected in Indonesia last year. An outbreak in Australia could wipe $80 billion from the farm sector.
Scientists have estimated an 11.6 per cent probability of a foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in Australia in the next five years.
The risk of an African swine fever outbreak in that period is 21 per cent. For lumpy skin disease, the risk is 28 per cent.