Search warrants have been issued as part of the federal government’s investigation into the suspected illegal importation of live bees infected with varroa mite, as the industry works out what’s next in learning to live with the deadly pest.
Varroa mite was first detected in sentinel hives at the Port of Newcastle in June 2022, but authorities now know ground zero was near Williamtown further north.
The investigation, known as Operation Decker, began as a result of information passed on by the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI).
“Our information that we’ve provided was intel on the ground as well as all the epidemiology data,” said NSW DPI director-general, Scott Hansen.
“It didn’t come into the Newcastle port in a natural channel that we would have assumed.
“We have our virology team currently looking at viruses that the mites are carrying, and trying to get genomic sequencing of those viruses that might give us an additional piece of information.”
A federal Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry spokesperson said the AFP and state law enforcement agencies were assisting and as it was an ongoing investigation, it would be inappropriate to comment further.
The maximum penalties for offences under the Biosecurity Act 2015 are up to 10 years imprisonment or $626,000 per offence.
Second-generation beekeeper Jon Lockwood from Goldfields Honey near Orange had 2,500 hives pollinating an almond farm near Balranald in the NSW Riverina region, when varroa was confirmed in a neighbouring orchard.
“Varroa mite wasn’t detected in our hives, but because our bees were trapped in the eradication zone they had to be euthanased,” he said.
His hives were some of the last killed under the eradication program and because of the sheer scale of his operation, he was pouring petrol on his own bees.
“Because it was such a large amount, the DPI didn’t have the manpower to come in and euthanise the hives themselves,” he said.
“The almond orchard owner needed to spray insecticides, so we had to send our own team to euthanise the bee hives.
“That’s one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do.”
Kempsey beekeeper Derek Seam was also caught up in the Riverina incursion.
The third-generation apiarist’s bees tested negative through mandatory alcohol-wash testing, so trucked his 1,000 hives to almond orchards in the Riverina, 1,000 kilometres away.
