NZ Customs Release

Issue

803

22 August 2025

Updated guidance for suspected quarantinable disease on domestic and international vessels

Health New Zealand, in partnership with Customs and Maritime NZ, has updated the Vessel Management Framework: Guidance for managing maritime vessels when a quarantinable disease is suspected or confirmed on board. 

This guidance supports port and vessel operators, unions, agents, government officials, and the National Public Health Service in managing suspected or confirmed cases among crew or passengers, international or domestic.

Originally developed during COVID-19, the framework now applies to any quarantinable disease. It reflects best practice and should be read alongside any outbreak-specific legislation or guidance.

Import Entry Transaction Fee refunds

Customs has become aware of an administrative issue which resulted in some individuals being charged the Customs portion of the Import Entry Transaction Fee (IETF) in error. 

This error impacted individuals importing goods through mail during the period 1 July 2021 to 3 March 2023. 

This only pertains to Import Clearances completed by Customs.

Customs invites importers who may have been impacted to apply for a refund. Guidance on how to apply and what information is required to support a refund application is available on Customs' website's Important Notices section.

Three men sentenced for child sexual abuse charges

Three separate Customs investigations into the possession and trading or sharing of child sexual abuse files across the virtual and physical border concluded late last week, with imprisonment sentences meted out to two offenders and one offender receiving home detention.

Chief Customs Officer, Child Exploitation Operations Team, Simon Peterson says in all three cases the offenders imported and possessed a large volume of objectionable material, sorted and unsorted, with the intention or ability to share it with other like-minded people.

"Our officers remain vigilant to the threat that people like these offenders pose to  communities – not just in New Zealand but across the globe. Customs was able to intercept, arrest and interrupt the cycle of re-victimisation being perpetuated by the possession and sharing images of children being abused." 

MFAT Market Intelligence Reports

The latest edition of the weekly global trade and economic update for New Zealand businesses has been published.