Johnny Depp's wife, Amber Heard, said on Sunday that she will plead not guilty to charges accusing her of violating Australia's biosecurity laws by illegally smuggling the couple's two Yorkshire terriers into the country.
"Whilst I am unable to comment on the specific matters before the Court I would like to say that I respect the importance of Australia's laws, my decision to defend these charges, as will become apparent in the appropriate forum of the Court, is not intended in any way to diminish the importance of Australia's laws," the actress said, according to NBC News.
Earlier this year, Heard was charged on two counts of illegally importing the dogs, Pistol and Boo, into Australia and one count of falsifying documents after she allegedly sneaked the pooches into the country on a private plane, as HNGN previously reported.
Australia has stringent biosecurity laws in place in order to prevent the spread of diseases and Heard could face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $75,000 fine if found guilty of the charge.
The case grabbed headlines around the world after Australian Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce threatened to euthanize the pets if they weren't taken back to California.
