You can now get fined £147,000 for bringing a Samsung Note 7 smartphone on a plane

ANYONE caught carrying a Galaxy Note 7 smartphone on a plane could be fined up to £148,000.

The American Department of Transportation issued an emergency order last Friday in response to reports of the phones catching fire.

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Anyone breaking this restriction faces a whopping fine of  $179,933 or 10 years in prison.
The order, which went into effect on Saturday at noon, said the phones may not be carried on board or packed in checked bags on flights to and from the United States or within the country.

The phones also can't be shipped as air cargo.
The department initially said that passengers attempting to board planes with the phones might face fines, but later clarified that such passengers will simply not be allowed on planes.

Passengers who try to evade the ban by packing the phone in their checked luggage may be subject to criminal prosecution in addition to fines.

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Packing the phones in checked luggage increases the risk of a "catastrophic incident," the department said.
Samsung has recalled more than 2.5 million of the smartphones, citing a battery manufacturing error. The South Korean company discontinued the product earlier this week, less than two months after its August release.