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CUSTOMS / SUPPLIED
Customs has seized millions of cigarettes that it says were smuggled into New Zealand by a Malaysian union.
Three men have been arrested for allegedly trying to smuggle cigarettes into New Zealand.
The three Malaysian nationals will appear in Auckland District Court on Monday.
The trio, in their 30s, is accused of defrauding Customs revenues and participating in an organized criminal group.
The search warrants were executed by Customs and police Monday at properties in Mt Roskill, Flat Bush and Albany.
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The trio were arrested and $ 20,000 in cash and several cigarettes were also seized.
Customs investigations manager Bruce Berry said the three people arrested on Monday are believed to be linked to a Malaysian-organized criminal syndicate operating in New Zealand.
SUPPLIED / CUSTOMS
Some of the cigarettes that were allegedly smuggled into New Zealand.
“Over the past few years, Customs has conducted a series of investigations involving Malaysian unions showing that members are often sent to New Zealand to smuggle and distribute the products.
“These unions often use a shell or dormant company to try to give the appearance of legitimate operations, and we believe this case is no different. We are not ruling out further charges, ”Berry said.
Several shipments of cigarettes from Malaysia have been seized in the space of six weeks, Berry said.
A shipment of 2.39 million smuggled cigarettes was intercepted in early August, hidden inside construction materials to evade payment of $ 2.95 million in taxes and GST, he said.
A shipment of 2.31 million cigarettes, similarly concealed to evade the payment of $ 2.85 million in taxes and GST, was intercepted in late August.
Berry said the cigarettes exported by Malaysia had been a “game changer” due to distinctive packaging, sophistication of concealment and significant volumes per shipment.
“This is something our partners in Australia have been seeing for some time, it’s all driven by greed and profit,” Berry said.
“In the past, Customs has largely seen the export of Chinese brand cigarettes from China.”
Earlier this year, Customs intercepted 2.2 million cigarettes that had been exported from Malaysia declared as 175 roof extension units.
The sole director of a “shell” company linked to the shipment was arrested in late July and is scheduled to reappear in court later this month.
If you are suspicious of someone involved in illicit cigarette smuggling, call 0800 4 CUSTOMS confidentially or Crimestoppers 0800 555 111 anonymously.
