Johnny Depp and his wife Amber Heard were reportedly held on the tarmac at Gold Coast Airport for up to an hour on Monday while customs officials searched their private plane.

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The Hollywood pair flew into Queensland before midday but had to wait until they were given the all-clear to leave the plane.

According to the Gold Coast Bulletin, customs officials thoroughly searched through their luggage before allowing them to disembark nearly an hour later.

Depp, 51, and Heard, 29, were then reportedly whisked away by helicopter.

The airport ordeal comes after Depp was told by Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce to remove his pet dogs from the country or risk them being exterminated.

Depp had brought the animals into the country on his private plane without declaring them, a breach of Australian quarantine laws.

The celebrity couple were returning to Australia after spending time in Los Angeles to celebrate the 16th birthday of Depp’s daughter, Lily-Rose.