A truck driver has been busted in South Australia for carrying $280,000 worth of sandalwood without a permit
September 24, 2012
A truck driver has been busted in South Australia for carrying $280,000 worth of sandalwood without a permit.
He is also facing charges for allegedly carrying an unsafe load, travelling on unroadworthy tyres, driving with leaks in the braking system and breaching fatigue management laws.
The 51-year-old Kalgoorlie man will attend court at a later date to face the charges.
He appeared in the Port Augusta Magistrates Court last week for carrying sandalwood.
He was stopped on the Eyre Highway around 3pm on Wednesday near Iron Knob when travelling in a convoy with another vehicle, on his way to Melbourne.
“Police will take action against truck drivers who drive unroadworthy vehicles,” Inspector Andrew Thiele says.
The truck and the load were identified with the assistance of rangers from the National Parks and Wildlife Service.
Sandalwood is monitored by state authorities to prevent illegal harvesting and unsustainable practices.
An export licence is required if sandalwood does not come from a plantation or is sourced from a plantation in Queensland.
