Why this simple 'roast chicken and pork combo' lunch box ended up costing a traveller $9,000
- Tasty treat turned out to be very expensive
- Quarantine dogs sniffed out the contraband
- READ MORE: Australians wrongly call out food delivery driver - before explanation is given
A traveller has copped a huge fine for making the mistake of trying to bring a tasty treat into another country - a move which resulted in an extremely expensive meal.
An Indonesian visitor flew from Hong Kong to Taiwan on April 30 with a 'roast chicken and pork combo' lunch box in their luggage.
But they didn't get the chance to enjoy it in Taipei after it was sniffed out by quarantine dogs, according to Taiwan's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Agency.
The hungry tourist was fined 200,000 New Taiwan (NT) dollars (A$9,369) for the attempted illegal food import.
But the visitor could not afford the massive fine so not only did they lose their lunch, they were also swiftly deported from the country.
An Indonesian visitor flew from Hong Kong to Taiwan on April 30 with a 'roast chicken and pork combo' lunch box in their luggage - it ended up being a very costly meal
Taiwan brought in fines of NT$200,000 for bringing pork products to the island from countries affected by African swine fever (ASF) after an outbreak in China in 2018.
If the same person is caught a second or subsequent time, the fine increases to NT$1million.
ASF is a highly infectious disease that affects both domestic and wild pigs, and kills about 80 per cent of those affected.
Taiwan is one of the very few Asian countries not yet affected by it.
The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) said ASF has caused massive losses in pig numbers, at a huge financial cost.
'It is not a danger to human health, but it has devastating effects on pig populations and the farming economy,' the WOAH said.
'The virus is highly resistant in the environment, meaning that it can survive on clothes, boots, wheels and other materials.
'It can also survive in various pork products, such as ham, sausages or bacon.'
Australia, which is free from ASF, fines travellers who do not declare high-risk goods such as pork and other meat products or provide false or misleading information up to $6,260.
The traveller didn't get the chance to enjoy their lunch after it was sniffed out by quarantine dogs, according to Taiwan's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Agency. Taiwan's Taoyuan International Airport is pictured
