Two men and one woman were sentenced in the Auckland District Court today for their involvement in smuggling nearly 500,000 cigarettes, evading approximately $675,000 in tobacco taxes.
They have been remanded in custody and on electronically monitored bail with strict curfew after Customs arrested and laid charges in June 2023 and will serve home detention sentences until they are deported.
Chean Wei Puah, Min Shein Yau, and Wai Lee Lock were convicted for defrauding Customs' revenue, importing prohibited goods, sale of uncustomed goods, using forged documents, and participating in an organised criminal group.
Customs began its investigation in May 2023 after a New Zealand company discovered their address was used on import documents without their prior knowledge. Investigations linked this import to a group of three Malaysian nationals who had arrived into New Zealand as visitors a few weeks earlier.
Further investigations showed the men had falsified import documents by using the names of legitimate companies and directing tobacco shipments to a residential address and a storage unit in Auckland.
During search warrants in June 2023, Customs uncovered two consignments adding to 481,640 cigarettes, which represents approximately $675,000 in revenue evasion.
Chief Customs Officer – Fraud and Prohibited, Nigel Barnes, says this is Customs' first successful conviction for participating in an organised criminal group for a tobacco prosecution.
"This was a calculated fraud by an international group who intended to rip New Zealand off. Illicit tobacco is not a victimless crime. It takes money out of our communities and puts it into the pockets of criminals," Mr Barnes said.
"We urge anyone who knows of someone or suspects someone who is dealing in the illegal tobacco trade to contact Customs via Border Protect, our 24-hour confidential hotline."
Visit www.borderprotect.govt.nz/report or call Customs on 0800 WE PROTECT (0800 937 768) confidentially, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
