In yet another case showcasing Australia’s uber-tight border control regulations, officials at Australia’s customs desk have declared international copies of Katy Perry’s new album, “Prism,” to be an indisputable bio-hazard. Why? Is it because her album is just so terrible and they need an excuse to get it off the number one spot on Australia’s Aria chart? No. It’s because Katy Perry gives away free seeds with her album.

The Aussie version of the CD contains local seeds, so that’s all okay. However, those who order the CD online will have it shipped from the states, and those copies might have invasive species that could cause unnecessary damage to local flora. A spokesperson for the Department of Agriculture said that:

The Australian government has a strong system in place to detect and respond to material of bio-security concern. Seeds or plant material of international origin may be a weed not present in Australia or the host of a plant pathogen.

The US version is available for under R180 from eBay including shipping, according to Billboard.com, while the Australian version retails for about R200. So you could see the appeal of the US copy, but alas, Australia’s strict customs laws mean the US copies could be confiscated.

[Source : BBC News]