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Customs and Excise Act 2018

Entry and exit of goods, persons, and craft - Forfeiture, seizure, and condemnation - Seizure

181: Notice of seizure

You could also call this:

"When Customs takes your goods, they must tell you why in a written notice."

Illustration for Customs and Excise Act 2018

If goods are seized under section 178, Customs must tell you about it as soon as they can if you have an interest in the goods. They must also tell your agent in New Zealand if you are overseas. This does not apply to seized tobacco or tobacco products that are prohibited from being imported under section 95A. The notice must be in writing, in a special form, and explain why the goods were seized. If Customs forget to give you this notice, the seizure is still valid if they tried to give you the notice.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM7039436.

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Part 3Entry and exit of goods, persons, and craft
Forfeiture, seizure, and condemnation: Seizure

181Notice of seizure

  1. If goods have been seized under section 178, Customs must, as soon as is reasonably practicable, notify—

  2. any person who is known or believed to have an interest in the goods; or
    1. if any such person is overseas, his or her agent in New Zealand.

      1. Subsection (1) does not apply in respect of seized goods that are tobacco or tobacco products prohibited from import under section 95A.

      2. The notice referred to in subsection (1) must—

      3. be in writing and in the prescribed form; and
        1. contain the reasons for the seizure.

          1. A seizure is not invalidated or illegal by reason of a failure to provide a notice under this section if reasonable steps were taken to give the notice.

          Compare
          Notes
          • Section 181(1A): inserted, on , by section 7 of the Customs and Excise (Tobacco) Amendment Act 2020 (2020 No 16).