New Zealand Customs Service

New Zealand Customs Service - Latest News [Page 1]

Arrangements In Place For Fishing Vessel Viking Bay To Dock In Wellington

Monday, 12 July 2021, 8:32 am | New Zealand Customs Service

Customs has today confirmed that the required plans are in place for the return of the fishing vessel Viking Bay to New Zealand in a safe and coordinated way. The vessel, which is carrying 20 people on board, including two crew members that tested ... More >>

Customs Drives Work On COVID-19 Vaccine Delivery For APEC Economies

Tuesday, 8 June 2021, 1:32 pm | New Zealand Customs Service

The New Zealand Customs Service (Customs) has led work to deliver a set of Best Practice Guidelines (the Guidelines) to support the roll out of COVID-19 vaccines in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) region. At the APEC Ministers Responsible ... More >>

Romanian Nationals Jailed For Card Skimming

Wednesday, 7 October 2020, 3:24 pm | New Zealand Customs Service

Two Romanian nationals were sentenced in Auckland’s District Court today for importing and possessing card skimming equipment. The equipment was used to obtain credit card details of more than 122 New Zealanders, and to steal approximately $75,380 from ... More >>

Customs Arrests Malaysian Tobacco Smuggling Syndicate

Monday, 14 September 2020, 3:45 pm | New Zealand Customs Service

Three Malaysian nationals are scheduled to appear in the Auckland District Court this afternoon after Customs arrested them this morning for trying to smuggle millions of cigarettes into New Zealand. The men, all aged in their thirties, face joint charges ... More >>

Customs Arrests Auckland Man For Attempting To Smuggle 2.2 Million Cigarettes

Wednesday, 29 July 2020, 5:14 pm | New Zealand Customs Service

A 30-year-old Malaysian national was scheduled to appear in the Auckland District Court this afternoon, after Customs arrested him today for attempting to smuggle 2.2 million cigarettes and evade $2.72 million in duty and GST. This is Customs’ ... More >>

Man Jailed For Uploading Child Sexual Exploitation Publications

Tuesday, 23 June 2020, 5:11 pm | New Zealand Customs Service

A 33-year-old man was sentenced to three years and four months’ jail in the Nelson District Court today for exporting – more commonly known as uploading – and possessing child sexual exploitation images and videos. He was also convicted for failing to ... More >>

Arrest For Tobacco Smuggling; Customs Welcomes Sentencing For Largest-Ever Tobacco Fraud Case

Thursday, 4 June 2020, 5:19 pm | New Zealand Customs Service

A 29-year-old Auckland businessman has appeared in the Auckland District Court today after Customs arrested him in relation to tobacco smuggling. He faces multiple charges under the Customs & Excise Act and the Crimes Act, and more charges are likely. ... More >>

Customs Arrests Two New Zealanders Trying To Smuggle 20kgs Of Methamphetamine

Friday, 8 May 2020, 4:06 pm | New Zealand Customs Service

Customs has arrested two New Zealand nationals in relation to 20 kilograms of methamphetamine that was located in a black carry-on suitcase at Auckland Airport on Thursday (7 May 2020). A 26-year-old person of interest was risk-profiled by Customs after he ... More >>

Chinese National Arrested For Importing Multiple Drug Packages

Monday, 9 March 2020, 3:22 pm | New Zealand Customs Service

A 27-year-old Chinese national has appeared in the Manukau District Court today, after he was linked to the importation of at least 17 packages, which in total contained around 46 kilograms of MDMA (also known as ecstasy), six kilograms of ephedrine, ... More >>

Romanian nationals arrested for card skimming gear

Friday, 24 January 2020, 4:05 pm | New Zealand Customs Service

Last night Customs officers arrested two Romanian nationals in downtown Auckland for importing card skimming equipment. The two, aged 30 and 35, arrived in New Zealand in November last year. It is alleged that after their arrival to the country, both ... More >>

Man arrested at airport for child sexual abuse images

Thursday, 16 January 2020, 5:15 pm | New Zealand Customs Service

A 40-year-old man has appeared in the Manukau District Court this afternoon, after Customs investigators at Auckland Airport found child sexual abuse images and videos on his phone last night. He faces representative charges for importing and possessing ... More >>

Customs reminds travellers to declare cash

Friday, 20 December 2019, 2:41 pm | New Zealand Customs Service

Customs is reminding everyone travelling internationally these holidays to declare if they are carrying more than NZ$10,000 or its foreign equivalent, to ensure they aren’t unintentionally left out of pocket. More >>

Decisions on review of goods clearance fees

Thursday, 12 December 2019, 1:35 pm | New Zealand Customs Service

Acting Comptroller of Customs Bill Perry says changes to Customs fees for clearing imported and exported goods will come into effect on 1 June 2020. More >>

Two Fijians arrested in Tauranga for methamphetamine

Thursday, 21 November 2019, 11:04 am | New Zealand Customs Service

Customs has arrested two Fijian nationals, who arrived in Tauranga on a commercial vessel earlier this week, after locating at least 34 kilograms of methamphetamine on board. More >>

Dunedin fraudster arrested and $6m assets restrained

Wednesday, 20 November 2019, 4:44 pm | New Zealand Customs Service

A 43-year-old New Zealand businessman has appeared in the Dunedin District Court today, following his arrest for using altered invoices to undervalue imported heavy machinery and evading at least $1.4 million in GST payments at the border. The man ... More >>

Customs cracks down on tobacco smuggling

Wednesday, 13 November 2019, 4:52 pm | New Zealand Customs Service

Customs is warning travellers against carrying undeclared tobacco on behalf of others, after a series of search warrants were executed in Auckland today, and a mother and her adult son arrested. New Zealand Customs Service commenced an investigation earlier ... More >>