Keith Richards impersonator Johnny Depp and his wife, actress Amber Heard, were busted by Australian authorities when they failed to declare their two Yorkshire terriers when they entered the country last year. Today, a bizarre, lo-fi video of the two canine smugglers apologizing for the actions was released by the Australian Government Department of Agriculture and Water Resources. Ricky Gervais tweeted that it "feels like a hostage video," and he's right.
In the video, Heard says that she is "truly sorry that Pistol and Boo were not declared. Protecting Australia is important."
"Australia is a wonderful island with a treasure trove of unique plants, animals and people," she continues. "Australia is free of many pests and diseases that are commonplace around the world. That is why Australia has to have such strong biosecurity laws."
Depp chimes in, with the deadest of eyes, "Australians are just as unique, both warm and direct. When you disrespect Australian law, they will tell you firmly," he says. "Declare everything when you enter Australia."
CNN reports that Heard pleaded guilty to "knowingly producing a false or misleading document," but was not convicted on two other charges of illegally importing her dogs.
According to the Daily Mail, Heard, who reached a plea deal with prosecutors, was hit with a one-month good behavior bond and a $1,000 fine.
The illegal dogs were discovered in May of last year when Depp brought them into "Happy Dogz," a grooming salon in Queensland, that posted on its Facebook page "It's an honour to be grooming Johnny Depp and Amber Heard's two Yorkshire Terriers." Australian officials sniffed out the location of the dogs, who were placed in home quarantine as per Australian law, with the threat of euthanization. Here they are together:
"If we start letting movie stars, even if they've been 'Sexiest Man Alive' twice, to come into our nation then why don't we just break the laws for everybody," Australia's Minister of Agriculture Barnaby Joyce told CNN at the time. "It's time that Pistol and Boo buggered off back to the United States. After that I don't expect to be invited to the opening of Pirates of the Caribbean."
