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Customs and Excise Act 2018

Customs powers - Powers in relation to documents

257: Copying of documents obtained during inspection

You could also call this:

"Customs officers can copy documents they find during inspections and use the copies as evidence"

Illustration for Customs and Excise Act 2018

When a Customs officer inspects something, they might find a document that could be evidence of a crime. If they think the document is evidence, they can take it to make a copy. They must give the document back to its owner as soon as they have made a copy.

The Customs officer can use the copy as evidence in court, and it is just as good as the original document. This means that if the copy is certified, the court will accept it as real evidence. You can find more information about what happens to the document in section 258.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM7039565.

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"The boss of Customs can take and keep your documents and records."

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"What happens to things Customs officers take during an inspection"

Part 4Customs powers
Powers in relation to documents

257Copying of documents obtained during inspection

  1. This section applies if—

  2. a Customs officer carries out an inspection, audit, or examination under this Act; and
    1. a document comes into the possession of the Customs officer during the inspection, audit, or examination; and
      1. the Customs officer has reasonable cause to believe that the document is evidence of the commission of an offence under this Act.

        1. The Customs officer may remove the document for the purpose of making a copy.

        2. Subject to section 258, the document must be returned to the person otherwise entitled to it as soon as practicable after a copy of the document has been made.

        3. Every certified copy of a document copied under this section is admissible in evidence in any court as if it were the original.

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