Brisbane Bullets basketballer busted bringing bulldog in carry-on baggage
Customs officials have seized a pet French bulldog belonging to new Brisbane Bullets import Lamar Patterson after he attempted to bring the animal into Australia in his hand luggage.
Patterson, 27, was detained at Brisbane Airport on Thursday morning when his dog Kobe was discovered in his carry-on bag following his flight from Los Angeles.
The ABC understands Patterson flew with his dog on an internal American Airlines flight, which permits pets to travel as carry-on luggage.
The basketballer then boarded his Qantas flight from Los Angeles, where the dog went undetected by cabin crew.
An Agriculture Department spokesperson said the dog was not declared and was seized at Brisbane Airport by Biosecurity officers.
Kobe is scheduled to be sent back to the United States today.
In a statement, the Brisbane Bullets said Patterson was now settling in his new apartment after speaking with airport officials.
"After landing in Brisbane, the 27-year-old spent most of the morning with Custom's [sic] officials after Patterson's French Bulldog made the journey from Los Angeles in his carry-on luggage," the statement said.
"Patterson has now settled into his Brisbane apartment with the French Bulldog spending time in quarantine."
Patterson regularly posts photos and videos of the dog on social media.
The situation mirrors the Pistol and Boo saga in 2016, when film star Johnny Depp and his ex-wife Amber Heard brought their two Yorkshire terriers into Australia on a private jet in 2016 without the proper paperwork.
Then-agriculture minister Barnaby Joyce threatened to have the dogs euthanised.
Patterson signed with the Brisbane Bullets earlier this week and the club said it hoped to have him cleared to play against Adelaide on Sunday.
[contf]
[contfnew]
ABC .net
[contfnewc]
[contfnewc]
