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Illegal semen smuggled via shampoo bottles

15th Aug 2019 / By Rebecca Veale

Two Danish people working on a pig farm in Western Australia have been convicted of illegally importing pig semen from Denmark to Australia.

Torben Sørensen, who was director at GD Pork, the company which owned the farm, and Henning Laue, who was the breeding manager, are both facing jail sentences for flouting Australia’s strict quarantine laws which are in place to safeguard their national herd against diseases such as African swine fever.

At least 200 sows had been impregnated by the illegal semen which had been smuggled into Australia in shampoo bottles on flights to Perth by a number of people between May 2009 and March 2017.

Agricultural authorities in Australia commenced investigations into the company in February 2017, later searching one unit and seizing breeding records.

As a consequence of the actions of GD Pork, a fine of AU$ 500,000 (about € 300,000) was issued, but the company is in liquidation. Administrators were appointed in October 2018 and sold off two farms and livestock in April this year.