Four Birmingham Airport passengers handed £10,000 fines on first day of 'red list' quarantine
Four passengers have each been fined £10,000 for failing to declare they had come from a 'red list' country when they landed at Birmingham Airport.
West Midlands Police said the travellers had "attempted to hide their roots" when they were stopped by officials at border control.
Under new quarantine rules people arriving in England after visiting a high risk 'red list' country need to self-isolate in a hotel for 10 days, at a cost of £1,750.
Speaking at a police strategic board meeting, Assistant Chief Constable Chris Todd, said: "On the first day of implementation we received six passengers who had declared travelling from a red list country who were taken to a quarantine hotel.
"We also had four passengers who were identified as having travelled from a 'red list' country but hadn't declared it.
"So there are some people who have attempted to hide their roots but that's not worked out and they were identified and received £10,000 fines as a result."
ACC Todd added that six passengers from 'red list' countries were transferred to Birmingham from Manchester Airport, which does not have a designated quarantine hotel.
The 'red list' of 33 countries includes Argentina, Brazil, Portugal and and southern Africa.
The Government has banned direct flights from those locations to the UK.
The four people fined had flown to Birmingham via a country not on the list.
Only people who are UK or Irish nationals or UK residents are allowed to enter the UK from a “red list” country.
Those returning must arrive at one of eight airports.
Scotland has extended the requirement to isolate in a hotel to cover arrivals from any country, unless they have travelled from or via the common travel area (CTA), which includes the UK and Ireland.
This loophole led to a man and his daughter who entered the programme on Monday being allowed to leave after just one day and complete their isolation at home.
Chun Wong and eight-year-old Kiernan arrived at Edinburgh Airport from the US via a connecting flight in Dublin, and were taken to a nearby hotel to begin their quarantine.
However, Mr Wong was later contacted by officials to tell him he did not need to abide by the rules.
