Fun fact

Sometimes Biosecurity New Zealand’s detector dogs find the smallest traces of risk items, other times it’s like a tidal wave of scent. Detector dog Pepper must’ve experienced the latter with this latest find.

While working at Auckland International Airport, Pepper indicated on a couple of bags on a passenger’s trolley. Her handler spoke to the passengers who confirmed they had fruit in their bags.

After searching their luggage, 2.5kg of at-risk goods were discovered, including a variety of fresh fruit, plant cuttings and seeds from various fruits for sowing.

The passengers were from Turkey, and they’d made a pitstop in Malaysia, where they’d picked up the items. The passengers were fined, and Pepper rewarded for successfully stopping this giant haul from entering the country.