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Customs and Excise Act 2018

Customs powers - Powers in relation to persons

205: Questioning persons about goods and debt

You could also call this:

"Customs officers can ask you questions about things you're bringing into New Zealand and if you owe money."

Illustration for Customs and Excise Act 2018

If you are in New Zealand, a Customs officer can ask you questions. You might be asked about goods you have with you, like where they came from or who they belong to. The officer can also ask if you owe any money to the government under the Customs and Excise Act.

You can be asked these questions if you have arrived in New Zealand in the last 72 hours, or if you are on a boat that has just arrived or is about to leave. You can also be asked if you are in a special area, like a Customs-controlled area or a duty-free store, as described in section 56(1)(c) to (f).

The Customs officer wants to know if you have any goods that you should have paid duty on, or if you have any goods that are not allowed in New Zealand. They can ask about the goods you have, or about any money you might owe to the government.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM7039465.

Topics:
Money and consumer rights > Consumer protectionTransport and travel > Border control
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"What happens if you don't follow a Customs officer's direction"

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206: Detention of persons questioned about goods or debt and suspected to be involved in offences, or

"Customs officers can hold you for questioning if they think you've broken the law about goods or debt."

Part 4Customs powers
Powers in relation to persons

205Questioning persons about goods and debt

  1. This section applies to the following persons who are in New Zealand:

  2. any person who has arrived in New Zealand within the preceding 72 hours:
    1. any other person who is on board, or is in the process of disembarking from, a craft that has arrived in New Zealand:
      1. any person who is departing from New Zealand:
        1. any other person who is on board, or is in the process of embarking onto, a craft that is to depart from New Zealand:
          1. any other person who is within a Customs-controlled area that is licensed for any of the purposes referred to in section 56(1)(c) to (f):
            1. any other person who is within a duty-free store.

              1. A Customs officer may question the person as to any of the following:

              2. whether the person has or has had in his or her possession any dutiable, prohibited, uncustomed, or forfeited goods:
                1. the nature, origin, value, ownership, or intended destination of any dutiable, prohibited, uncustomed, or forfeited goods:
                  1. whether any debt—
                    1. is due to the Crown under this Act; and
                      1. is payable by the person or a company, trust, partnership, or other enterprise of which the person is or was a director, manager, trustee, secretary, officer, or agent:
                      2. the nature and extent of the debt (if any).

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