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Customs and Excise Act 2018

Final and miscellaneous provisions - Offences - Offences in relation to Customs

377: Obstructing Customs officer or interfering with Customs property

You could also call this:

"Don't stop Customs officers or damage their things, or you could get in trouble with the law."

Illustration for Customs and Excise Act 2018

If you stop a Customs officer from doing their job on purpose, you can get in trouble. You can also get in trouble if you mess with things that Customs uses to do its job, like a Customs dog, a car, or a computer. This includes doing something to try to stop these things from working properly.

If you do something like this, you might have to go to prison for up to three months or pay a fine of up to $5,000. This is what can happen if you break the law in this way, as outlined in the Customs and Excise Act 2018. You should be aware of this law to avoid getting into trouble.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM7039843.

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376: Threatening or resisting Customs officer, or

"It's against the law to threaten, hurt, or stop a Customs officer from doing their job."

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378: False allegation or report to Customs officer with intention of diverting deployment of Customs personnel, etc, or

"Making a false report to trick or distract Customs officers is against the law."

Part 6Final and miscellaneous provisions
Offences: Offences in relation to Customs

377Obstructing Customs officer or interfering with Customs property

  1. A person commits an offence if the person—

  2. otherwise than by force, intentionally obstructs any Customs officer acting in the execution of his or her duties; or
    1. intentionally interferes with a Customs dog, or any equipment, vehicle, craft, communications system, or other aid used, or intended for use, by Customs; or
      1. does any act with the intention of impairing the effectiveness of—
        1. a Customs dog; or
          1. any equipment, vehicle, craft, communications system, or other aid used, or intended for use, by Customs.

          2. A person who commits an offence under this section is liable on conviction to—

          3. imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 months; or
            1. a fine not exceeding $5,000.

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