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Customs and Excise Act 2018

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

384: False allegation or report to Customs officer alleging that offence committed

You could also call this:

"Telling lies to a Customs officer about someone committing a crime can get you in trouble."

Illustration for Customs and Excise Act 2018

If you tell a Customs officer that someone has committed a crime, but you know it's not true, you can get in trouble. You will be in trouble if you make a false statement, or get someone else to make a false statement, to a Customs officer. This applies whether you say it out loud or write it down.

If you do this, you might have to go to prison for up to three months, or you might have to pay a fine of up to $5,000. The Customs officer will decide what action to take if you make a false allegation.

You can look at the Customs and Excise Act 2018 for more information about what happens if you make a false statement to a Customs officer, which is similar to what was in the 1996 law, s 177A(1)(a), (2).

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

384False allegation or report to Customs officer alleging that offence committed

  1. A person commits an offence if the person makes a false statement, or causes a false statement to be made, to a Customs officer alleging that an offence has been committed without a belief in the truthfulness of the statement.

  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.

      1. To avoid doubt, subsection (1) applies to written or oral statements.

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