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Crimes Act 1961

Crimes against rights of property - Goods that facilitate commission of crimes involving dishonesty

239C: Possessing goods capable of being used to facilitate crimes involving dishonesty with intent to facilitate commission of those offences

You could also call this:

"Having things to help commit dishonest crimes is against the law"

Illustration for Crimes Act 1961

If you have something that can help someone commit a crime involving dishonesty, you can get in trouble. You must not have these goods without a good reason or permission. If you intend to use these goods to help commit a crime, you can go to prison for up to 3 years, but this does not apply to crimes specified in sections 227, 233, and 264.

You will be in trouble if you have these goods and plan to use them for a crime involving dishonesty. This rule is part of the law to stop people from helping others commit crimes. The law is clear about what goods are not allowed and what can happen if you have them.

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This page was last updated on

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM6650938.

Topics:
Crime and justice > Criminal law
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239B: Possessing, selling, disposing of, or procuring goods designed, manufactured, or adapted with intent to facilitate commission of crimes involving dishonesty, or

"Having or selling things that help people commit crimes like stealing is against the law"

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240: Obtaining by deception or causing loss by deception, or

"Using tricks or lies to get things that don't belong to you or to make someone lose something"

Part 10Crimes against rights of property
Goods that facilitate commission of crimes involving dishonesty

239CPossessing goods capable of being used to facilitate crimes involving dishonesty with intent to facilitate commission of those offences

  1. Every person is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 years who, without lawful authority or excuse, possesses any goods capable of being used to facilitate the commission of a crime involving dishonesty (other than those specified in sections 227, 233, and 264) with intent to use the goods to facilitate the commission of that offence.

Notes
  • Section 239C: inserted, as section 228C, on , by section 11 of the Crimes Amendment Act 2015 (2015 No 95).
  • Section 239C: renumbered, on , by section 63 of the Budapest Convention and Related Matters Legislation Amendment Act 2025 (2025 No 39).