NZ Customs Release Issue 707

Four people have been arrested as part of Operation Viceroy, a joint Police and Customs investigation into a large quantity of methamphetamine smuggled into New Zealand in March this year.

The operation uncovered 83 kilos of methamphetamine from South Africa, which was concealed in pallets and arrived at Port Napier.

This is the largest recorded importation of methamphetamine into Napier and the first major drug intercept out of South Africa via sea freight.

The 28-year-old man Customs identified as the key organiser in an attempt to smuggle methamphetamine from the United States of America in a suitcase during the middle of COVID-19 lockdown has been jailed for seven years and three months.

Customs officers stopped Romney Fukofuka at Auckland International Airport in May 2020 and caught him with 19.4 kilograms of methamphetamine in his carry-on suitcase.

National Drug Intelligence Bureau estimates indicated this amount of methamphetamine could have been worth between around $7.8 million and $11.6 million on the street at the time.

The annual adjustment to the excise and excise-equivalent duty rates on alcoholic beverages will take effect on 1 July 2023. The annual adjustment is based on movements in the Consumer Price Index over the 12-month period ended 31 March 2023.

Changes to the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Alcohol Levy rates will also take effect on 1 July 2023.

Alcohol products removed from a licensed manufacturing area or imported after midnight on 30 June 2023 will be subject to the new rates.

Changes to the Clean Car Standard and Clean Car Discount are set to take effect soon. 

The Clean Car Standard is aimed at importers and the Clean Car Discount is aimed at buyers. The two programmes work together to influence the supply and demand for zero and low emission vehicles.

Clean Car Standard changes from 1 June 2023:

- Importers on the CCS Pay As You Go (PAYG) scheme need to start paying charges on vehicles as they accept them in their CO2 account
- PAYG importers need to make a one-off payment for charges incurred between 1 January and 31 May.
- Credits under the CCS scheme can be used to offset charges or be transferred to other accounts

Customs has carried out a review of broker and client deferred accounts that have been inactive for two or more years.

On 29 May 2023 these inactive accounts will be cancelled. 

Account holders that are affected can contact the team for further information by emailing revenue@customs.govt.nz.

Importers and their agents should note that the Arms Amendment Regulations, which enable the Firearms Registry, were released 11 May 2023. These provide details on how the Firearms Registry will work, what needs to be registered and when registration needs to happen.

From 24 June 2023 firearms licence holders must record  information about any firearms, restricted weapons, major firearm parts, prohibited magazines or pistol carbine kits in their possession. 

From 3 July 2023, a Domestic Transhipment Request (DTR) will be required to move uncleared sea-freight from one approved facility (CCA/TF) to another approved facility. An approved facility is a Customs Controlled Area (CCA) and Transitional Facility (TF).

This change is part of a three-phase pilot with Ministry for Primary Industries.

Further information about these changes, requirements, what you may need to do, and training is available on Customs' website.