Travel blogger fined more than $1800 Forgot to declare rose she was gifted on flightLays Laraya plans to appeal the fine
A travel blogger accidentally breached a little-known customs law while entering Australia and copped a hefty fine for her costly mistake.
Lays Laraya flew with Qatar Airways from Dubai, where she lives, to Perth earlier this month.
While disembarking from the plane she was given a rose by cabin crew as a thank you for giving all of the crew handwritten notes during the flight.
Ms Laraya posted images of the rose to her Instagram story, without knowing that she was being watched by customs officials.
Plain-clothed officers soon approached Ms Laraya asking to see her passenger card, which all arrivals into Australia must complete to pass through customs.
Lays Laraya (pictured unknowingly highlighted a little-known customs law upon re-entering Australia
The seasoned jetsetter had not declared the rose in the passenger card’s plant section, however she claims that she did not know she had to.
After a 30-minute check through all of her luggage and bags, she was whisked away for questioning by officials, who grilled her as to whether she had filled out the passenger card truthfully.
She continued to maintain that she had answered everything with complete honesty while the rose sat on the table in front of her.
Ms Laraya receive a $1,878 fine for not declaring the rose and breaching Australia’s Biosecurity Act.
‘It didn’t pass through my mind that the rose was within the category of those plants that they would be looking right,’ Ms Laraya told Insider.
‘If I knew I was doing something wrong willingly, I would have thrown it away before… I had the opportunity.’
‘I had nothing to hide.’
She plans to appeal the fine after being told by others she should have gotten off with a warning or a much lower fine.
She has also set her Instagram to private after copping online backlash when she detailed her mistake.
Flowers are considered a considerable biosecurity threat by customs officials as they can carry numerous invasive bugs such as ants, aphids, mites, moths and beetles, according to the Invasive Species Council.
Ms Laraya forgot to declare a rose she had been gifted by the Qatar Airways flight crew (pictured) on her flight from Dubai to Perth
‘Almost a quarter of the arthropods intercepted at the Australian border during this time (2007 to 2017) arrived with flowers,’ the council states.
‘Flower imports are one of Australia’s highest risk pathways. The risks have escalated in recent years due to burgeoning imports, which now make up more than 20% of our flower consumption.’
The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry echoed the council’s concerns.
‘All travellers coming to Australia must be aware of Australia’s strict biosecurity requirements and the penalties for not complying with those requirements,’ the spokesperson told Insider.
Lays Laraya (pictured) says she’ll appeal the $1878 fine
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Travel blogger Lays Laraya fined at Perth Airport after bringing rose from Qatar Airways flight into Australia
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