| | 
| | | Drug courier with cocaine concealed in suitcase sentenced to 4 years and 11 months in prison | | | A 25-year-old foreign national who tried to smuggle 2.1 kilograms of cocaine into New Zealand has been sentenced to 4 years and 11 months' imprisonment.
The man arrived at Auckland International Airport on 13 April on a flight from Santiago, Chile. During a baggage search, an x-ray identified inconsistencies within the outer lining of his two suitcases.
Customs officers examined the suitcases further and upon drilling each suitcase, located quantities of white powder which was confirmed to be cocaine. The amount of cocaine seized was worth approximately NZ$600,000 and could have caused up to NZ$2,096,420 in potential harm and cost to New Zealand. | | | | | | | | | | 
| | |  Pot not what it seemed: Customs seizes 3.5 kilograms of methamphetamine
| | | A 59-year-old man is facing drug smuggling charges after Customs officers at Auckland International Airport discovered approximately 3.5 kilograms of methamphetamine hidden inside a cooking pot.
The man arrived on a flight from Shanghai, China, on 27 September 2025 and was referred to Customs officers for further questioning and a search of his baggage.
Customs officers searched the suitcase, which contained cooking utensils, food, and other personal effects. During the search, an officer noticed the unusual weight of one of the pots, which appeared to have been tampered with.
An x-ray revealed inconsistencies around the lining of the pot. Customs officers drilled into the bottom, uncovering a white crystal substance that tested positive for methamphetamine.
The man was arrested and charged with the importation of a Class A controlled drug.
The approximate weight of the methamphetamine was 3.5 kilograms, equalling 100,000 doses, with a potential street value of up to NZ$1 million. This seizure is estimated to have prevented up to NZ$3.7 million in harm to New Zealand communities and the economy. | | | | | | | | | | 
| | | New GST refund processes in place | | | Changes to the Goods and Services Tax Act 1985 (the GST Act) were made by the Customs (Levies and Other Matters) Amendment Act 2025. Those changes came into force on 24 September 2025.
The GST Act changes have immediate effect. The changes make it fairer for importers who have to return either faulty goods, or those goods not to specification, to overseas suppliers. In some cases, people re-exporting the goods could not previously get back the GST they paid on import (despite all the other duty paid being refunded). | | | | | | | | | | 
| | | MFAT Market Intelligence Reports | | | The latest edition of the weekly global trade and economic update for New Zealand businesses has been published. | | | | | | | | |