Celebrity News July 16, 2015
Amber Heard Charged with Dog Smuggling in Australia
According to E! Online, Australia's Department of Agriculture doesn't seem to realize that the Johnny Depp/Amber Heard dog smuggling scandal is so April 2015 — it has formally charged Heard with illegally smuggling dogs into the country.
Heard, the 29-year-old star of "Magic Mike XXL," brought her dogs, Boo and Pistol, into Australia earlier this year without declaring them. The country's Agriculture Minister demanded that the dogs be removed from the country immediately or risk being euthanized. Not long after, Depp chartered a private plane and whisked the four-legged desperados to safety.
The three counts with which Heard has been charged are related to illegal importation and producing a false document; the worst-case scenario is an 11-year prison sentence. Her summons calls for her to appear in Queensland on September 7.
Heard has not commented on the charges, but a spokesman for Australia's Department of Agriculture says in a statement:
"Ms. Amber Heard was served with a summons issued by the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions on July 14. The CDPP's action follows an incident where a biosecurity officer attended a Gold Coast property in April and found two dogs alleged to be illegally imported. All animals entering Australia must have an import permit, and have undergone relevant testing and health checks signed off by a government veterinarian from the exporting country to ensure pests and diseases from overseas are not brought here."
They're clearly playing ruff with this case.