Johnny Depp's wife charged with sneaking dogs

Johnny Depp's wife, Amber Heard, has been charged with illegally bringing the couple's dogs to Australia - an incident that captured global attention after the nation's agriculture minister angrily ordered the animals to get out of the country or face death.

Heard was charged this week with two counts of illegally importing her pet dogs Pistol and Boo into Australia and one count of producing a false document, the Commonwealth Department of Public Prosecutions said on Thursday.

The importation charges carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of $75,000. The false document charge, which relates to information on an incoming passenger card, carries a penalty of up to one year in prison and a fine of $75,000.