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Date Published: 18/01/2023

ARCHIVED - Not without my sausage: the toughest and most lenient airports for carrying Spanish meat

ARCHIVED ARTICLE -

Australia recently deported a Spanish man for carrying pork and cheese in his suitcase

<span style='color:#780948'>ARCHIVED</span> - Not without my sausage: the toughest and most lenient airports for carrying Spanish meat

We’ve all seen the airport border security shows on TV, where travellers are put on the first flight back home for trying to slip through dangerous objects like blades and other weapons in their luggage. But last week, a 20-year-old Spanish man became the first person to have his visa revoked by the ultra-strict Australian authorities for failing to declare meat and cheese in his bags.

The young traveller was detained at Perth airport after border guards found that he was carrying not a gun or explosives, but 275 grams of bacon, 665 grams of pork and about 300 grams of cheese in his suitcase. His visa was immediately revoked and he was fined 3,300 Australian dollars – around 2,100 euros – and faces a three-year ban from the country.

Australia has some of the toughest biosecurity laws in the world, and since January 1, the government has further tightened violations for travellers trying to enter the country with banned food items, in an attempt to keep Australia's agricultural industry free from foot-and-mouth disease and other threats.

Spanish jamón is famous worldwide and it’s only natural that tourists would like to take a little slice home to share with family and friends, but different countries have incredibly varying rules about which food items passengers can and can’t carry. Since Brexit, airports have also become far more stringent regarding which food products are and aren’t allowed into Spain from the UK, and meat and dairy products are now banned.

A traveller arriving at Perth international airport from Malaysia earlier this week received a $3,300 infringement notice and had their visa cancelled by @AusBorderForce for not declaring pork products. 🧳🛃

Read more here: https://t.co/Jz5vSw0ArI

#Biosecurity #Travel pic.twitter.com/RIAVlWo9pY
— Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (@DAFFgov) January 16, 2023

The strictest border controls

Australia is probably in the lead now thanks to its January 1 law, but the US is certainly vying for this position. Even permitted products can get travellers in trouble if they are carrying large amounts and every single item must de declared before landing in the country. Failure to do so can result in fines of up to $10,000.

Many common food stuffs are allowed once they are “for personal use” including condiments and oils, cheese, butter and yogurt and canned and vacuum-packed products that don’t contain meat.

So if travelling from Spain to North America, passengers are free to bring cured cheeses and canned fish in their luggage once they don’t exceed 5 kilos. Meat is strictly prohibited, so better leave the Spanish pork behind.

The least restrictive

Sausages and other pork products are generally restricted by border forces in most countries, but you can pack your suitcase full of Spanish jamón if you’re visiting Brazil, Argentina, Mexico or China. There’s one caveat though: the meat must be vacuum packed and cubed or sliced; whole hams aren’t allowed.

What about travel within the EU?

Ham, chorizo and other meat products can be freely brought between Spain and other EU countries, either in hand luggage or check-in cases. The countries themselves don’t actually care how much food is brought in, but many of the airlines will have weight and volume restrictions, so check before you fly.

Switzerland, a European country that is outside the EU, allows the entry of up to half a kilo of meat per person per day, including ham. Of course, passengers have to declare it and pay the corresponding import taxes. Norway, San Marino and the Faroe Islands also allow small amounts of meat products.

On the other hand, passengers arriving in Spain from a non-EU country are expressly forbidden from bringing meat or dairy.

Now read: Could Spain limit food prices to what they were a year ago?

Image: @DAFFgov

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