NZ Customs Release 725

Customs has intercepted approximately 35 kilograms of cocaine in a smuggling attempt through the Port of Tauranga, during its routine inspection operation of high-risk vessels and shipments.

Customs officers uncovered the cocaine hidden in the engine compartment of a refrigerated shipping container loaded with bananas, which arrived from Panama on 9 November 2023.

A 19-year-old Irish national has appeared in the Manukau District Court on Monday 13 November, after Customs officers seized nearly two kilograms of methamphetamine in his luggage on Saturday (11 November 2023).

He is charged with importing a Class A controlled drug and possession of a Class A controlled drug for supply.

A 32-year-old Rotorua man has been jailed for three years and eleven months, relating to the export and distribution of objectionable material depicting the sexual exploitation of children.

In February 2022, Customs was notified by an overseas-based social media app about a New Zealander sharing child sexual abuse materials on their platform. Customs investigations confirmed the identity of the man and conducted a search warrant at his address in Mangakakahi, Rotorua.  

From 11 December 2023 changes to the steel research levy, which applies to all items listed in Schedule 2 of the Heavy Engineering Research Levy Act, 1978, will increase levy rates from $10/tonne to $20/tonne.

From 1 January 2024 changes to the Synthetic Greenhouse Gas (Goods) Levy will increase levy rates across all items.

The Climate Change (Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Levies) Amendment Regulations 2023 (Schedule 1 and 2) set out the levy rate changes. Minor updates to item descriptions and tariff codes are included in Schedule 2.