A man was arrested in Auckland yesterday for the alleged illegal importation of nearly one million cigarettes and evasion of $1.4 million in taxes.
An investigation was launched after Customs officers at the Auckland Processing Centre intercepted two shipments from China declared as clothes.
The first contained around 340,000 uncustomed cigarettes of the Chinese Double Happiness brand. The second shipment contained 587,000 cigarettes of the same brand.
Investigators found that neither the man or the company listed as the consignee had an import permit for the cigarettes, making it an illegal importation.
Customs said the revenue that would have been generated through taxes on the cigarettes was around $1.4 million.
Police and Customs executed a series of searches at several Auckland properties, including storage facilities and residences. A “commercial quantity” of more illegal cigarettes was found during yesterday’s searches.
Chief Customs Officer, fraud and prohibition, Nigel Barnes, said: “Customs is getting good successes at the Auckland Processing Centre – the new international mail processing facility – thanks to the systems and technology we’re using to inspect international parcels and goods before they’re released to the importers.
Lesley McLinden from Customs said new 3D screening technology was stepping up how officers identify and process biosecurity risks. (Source: 1News)
“Anyone involved in cigarette smuggling should know there’s a very good chance that they will be caught and face the consequences,” Barnes said.
A 43-year-old man was due to appear in the Manukau District Court today.
