Crimes Act 1961

Crimes against public order - Piracy

92: Piracy

You could also call this:

"Doing pirate-like crimes, like hijacking a ship or plane, is against the law and can lead to big trouble"

If you do something that is considered piracy under international law, you can get in trouble with the law in New Zealand. This applies whether you do the act in New Zealand or somewhere else. You will be sentenced to life in prison if you commit piracy and also murder someone, try to murder someone, or do something that could put someone's life in danger. If you commit piracy but do not do any of those things, you could go to prison for up to 14 years.

If someone does something on an aircraft that would be considered piracy if it were done on a ship at sea, it is still considered piracy. This applies whether the aircraft is over the sea or over land. You can be charged with piracy for doing such an act on an aircraft.

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This page was last updated on 4 August 2025

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM328572.

Topics:

Crime and justice > Criminal law

91: Forcible entry and detainer, or

"Illegally taking or keeping someone else's land by force or causing trouble"

93: Piratical acts, or

"Doing pirate-like things, like robbery or hostility, on a New Zealand ship or plane is against the law"

Part 5Crimes against public order
Piracy

92Piracy

Every one who does any act amounting to piracy by the law of nations, whether that act is done within or outside New Zealand,—
shall upon conviction thereof be sentenced to imprisonment for life if, in committing piracy, he or she murders, attempts to murder, or does any act likely to endanger the life of any person:
is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 14 years in any other case.

Any act that by the law of nations would amount to piracy if it had been done on the high seas on board or in relation to a ship shall be piracy for the purposes of this section if it is done on board or in relation to an aircraft, whether the aircraft is on or above the sea or is on or above the land.

Compare

1908 No 32 s 121