Hong Kong woman's lemon smuggling scuttles visit to New Zealand

A traveller from Hong Kong was turned back when she arrived in New Zealand -- for attempting to smuggle six lemons, New Zealand bio-security officials said Thursday.

The woman had deliberately hidden the lemons in her trousers when she arrived at Auckland Airport on Monday, said a statement from the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI).

Border officials refused entry to the woman after "intercepting" the lemons, which were sniffed out by a bio-security detector dog when the woman arrived on a flight from Hong Kong.

"She had failed to declare she was carrying any food on her official arrival card, but was found to have the lemons concealed at the top of her pants," MPI manager north passenger and mail Craig Hughes said in the statement.

"Her excuse was that the lemons were good for her liver and other illnesses. That may be true, but it doesn't justify endangering New Zealand's horticulture industry by illegally bringing in fruit that could harbor pests or diseases."

As a result of the find, immigration officials refused the woman entry permission to the country and she was forced to return to Hong Kong on the next available flight.

"This is an example of MPI and Immigration New Zealand working closely together to curtail bio-security offences at the border," said Hughes.

"We want to send a strong message to smugglers who show contempt for our bio-security rules." Endit