Importer fined $25K for telling porkies about imported ham

An importer has been fined $25,000 for failing to test 2241 kg Parma ham imported from Italy in 2011. Paqualino Licastro, owner of Perth import company Topas Pty Ltd, was fined $3000 while the company was fined $22,000.

After breaching its import permit, the company then failed to act on a directive from the Department of Agriculture to move the ham to a cold-store facility. The department ordered that the ham be held pending sampling and testing for Staphylococcus, Listeria, E. coli and Salmonella before it could be sold or distributed.

Had the imported ham introduced foot-and-mouth disease into Australia, it could potentially cost more than $50 billion over 10 years, the department estimates.

“Despite this directive, the company sold 220 kg of the ham to retailers without the required testing,” said Department of Agriculture First Assistant Secretary of Compliance Raelene Vivian.

“Topas Pty Ltd has been punished for knowingly breaching our import and food control requirements.

“As this case shows, we have a zero tolerance approach to companies and individuals who engage in unlawful conduct - and we will take action against them.

“We have a shared responsibility to minimise the impacts of biosecurity threats, which is why honest import declarations and having the necessary import permits are not only a legal requirement but a biosecurity must.”