A harness driver who brought dirty gear back from an Australian race has been sentenced to 120 hours' community service after making a false declaration to quarantine inspectors at Christchurch airport.
Anthony Butt, an experienced harness racer, failed to declare soiled racing driving equipment when he arrived from Sydney in August last year, the Ministry for Primary Industries said today.
Butt was questioned by a quarantine inspector and said that he had not been racing when he was in Australia.
When asked about his dirty clothing, Butt said it came from New Zealand.
Subsequent investigations, including analysis of video footage, clearly showed that this was not the case and Butt had been racing in the clothing and equipment.