Woman Narrowly Escapes $800 Fine For Failing To Declare Apple At Airport

Customs is just one part of air travel that is enough to scare any nervous flyer. For one woman, those fears were realized when authorities threw the book at her and threatened her with a fine for the cardinal sin of failing to declare an apple.

Dina has a TikTok channel called Discover With Dina, where she shares snappy holiday videos and travel guides. Many of them are pretty funny, like one where Dina demonstrates ways to stop strangers sitting next to you on public transport. One recent post on her channel went viral as she recalls a scary situation at customs.

@discoverwithdina

DON’T make this mistake! “I could fine you $500 right now and revoke your global entry” I was standing there waiting for my luggage and a Customs & Border Control Officer came up to me, saying the K9 is smelling food and asking me if I had anything. Shoot… I forgot I had an apple on me from Amsterdam that I was supposed to declare at customs. They took my passport and went through all my bags. He said if I had lied about the Apple, I would’ve gotten a $300 fine. Then I could’ve gotten another $500 fine for actually having the apple and Global Entry because you’re held to a higher standard. Be sure to declare these upon arrival: – Purchases over $800 – Cash including travelers checks over $10,000 – ALL food, plants, and animal products. – Check the full restricted/ prohibited items list to be safe at [cbp.gov](http://cbp.gov/) When in doubt, declare it to avoid fines and confiscation. Thankfully I was given a warning because this is my first offense but this was a reminder to take it seriously. I genuinely forgot about the apple and declaring it wasn’t top of mind since they stopped having you fill out those forms on the plane. I also didn’t know you are supposed to declare all food, even if it’s processed. Don’t forget this next time you fly internationally & share with a friend ✈️ #globalentry #travelers #travelersoftiktok #cbp #traveltip

♬ DIM – Yves

The short video was filmed at the baggage carousel in at an airport with the caption, “She doesn’t know it yet but a K9 is about to walk up to her and smell the apple that she forgot to declare at customs causing her to almost get fined $500 and get Global Entry revoked.”

Dina Reveals What Happened At The Airport

Dina tells her cautionary tale, warning others not to repeat her mistake. She quotes, “I could fine you $500 right now and revoke your global entry.”

Dina explained that she was waiting for her luggage when a Customs Officer approached her with a K9 unit. “Shoot, I forgot I had an apple on me from Amsterdam,” she explains. The Customs Officer allegedly rifled through her bags and took her passport.

It seems Dina escaped with a slap on the wrist, but the Officer still explained the potential fines. She could have faced a $300 penalty if she lied about the apple. They reportedly said Dina ran the risk of an extra $500 fine as Global Entry means she’s “held to a higher standard.”

The fines may sound exceptionally steep, although several commenters describe similar incidents. One user simply replies, “Got $700 for a banana.” Another says they recently lost Global Entry and got stung with a $500 fine over a plum. Interestingly, another commenter points out that these restrictions also apply to food and drink purchased on the airplane.

Dina has made the most of her airport ordeal and lists several items to declare in the post description. She explains that she got a warning as it was her first offense and cautions other travelers, “When in doubt, declare it to avoid fines and confiscation.”