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Arms Act 1983

Offences - Offences

55E: Offences relating to illegal trafficking of firearms, parts, or ammunition

You could also call this:

"Breaking the law by moving or sending guns, parts, or ammo into or out of NZ without permission"

Illustration for Arms Act 1983

You commit an offence if you intentionally move or send firearms, parts, or ammunition into or out of New Zealand without permission. You also commit an offence if you make a deal to do these things. If you break these rules, you could go to prison for up to 10 years. You must follow the rules when bringing firearms, parts, or ammunition into New Zealand, as stated in the Customs and Excise Act 2018. If you do not, these items will be treated as prohibited goods when they arrive in New Zealand, except as stated in sections 388 and 389 of that Act. If you intentionally try to move firearms, parts, or ammunition through New Zealand to another country without permission, you commit an offence. You must mark these items in accordance with the Arms Act and regulations made under section 74.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=LMS368840.

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Topics:
Crime and justice > Criminal lawCrime and justice > Police and safetyTransport and travel > Border control
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55D: Offences relating to illegal manufacturing of certain arms items, or

"Making or selling illegal guns or weapons is against the law"

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55F: Offences relating to falsifying firearm markings, or

"Putting false markings on a gun is against the law"

Part 8Offences
Offences

55EOffences relating to illegal trafficking of firearms, parts, or ammunition

  1. A person commits an offence if the person intentionally—

  2. moves, delivers, sends, or transfers any firearm, pistol, pistol carbine conversion kit, prohibited firearm, or restricted weapon, or any part or ammunition, into New Zealand without lawful authority, or if the item is not marked in accordance with this Act and regulations made under section 74, whether or not the person intends to export the item from New Zealand; or
    1. moves, delivers, sends, or transfers any firearm, pistol, pistol carbine conversion kit, prohibited firearm, or restricted weapon, or any part or ammunition, from New Zealand to another country, without lawful authority, or if the item is not marked in accordance with this Act and regulations made under section 74; or
      1. moves, delivers, sends, or transfers any firearm, pistol, pistol carbine conversion kit, prohibited firearm, or restricted weapon, or any part or ammunition, through or across New Zealand to another country without lawful authority; or
        1. moves, delivers, sends, or transfers any firearm, pistol, pistol carbine conversion kit, prohibited firearm, or restricted weapon, or any part or ammunition, into another country from or through New Zealand without lawful authority.

          1. A person commits an offence if the person intentionally enters into a contract or an arrangement, or arrives at an understanding, to do anything described in subsection (1)(a) to (d).

          2. A person who commits an offence against subsection (1) or (2) is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 10 years.

          3. For the purposes of this section, anything that purports to be, or is intended to have the effect of, a contract, an arrangement, or an understanding must be treated as a contract, an arrangement, or an understanding (as the case may be).

          4. Any firearm, pistol, pistol carbine conversion kit, prohibited firearm, or restricted weapon, or any part or ammunition, that is imported within the meaning of the Customs and Excise Act 2018 and that arrives in New Zealand in any manner in contravention of this section, must be treated, on importation, as a prohibited good for the purposes of the Customs and Excise Act 2018, except sections 388 and 389 of that Act.

          Notes
          • Section 55E: inserted, on , by section 83 of the Arms Legislation Act 2020 (2020 No 23).