The 36-year-old Australian man was sentenced to three-years and the 33-year-old Chinese national was sentenced to one-year and ten-months imprisonment for defrauding Customs revenue and importing prohibited goods. The man was also charged with selling uncustomed goods.
Between December 2023 and June 2025, the man imported cigarettes using false declarations, fictitious names and delivery addresses across Auckland. He sold the cigarettes through messaging apps and used associates to collect parcels.
The woman assisted by managing accounts, receiving payments, identifying delivery addresses and collecting packages. Her involvement contributed to the evasion of more than $1.28 million in excise duties.
The pair regularly altered their smuggling methods after Customs intercepted shipments, changing parcel declarations and packaging to avoid detection.
On 15 June 2025, Customs officers stopped the couple at Auckland International Airport as they prepared to leave New Zealand.
Examination of their electronic devices uncovered hundreds of records and evidence of tobacco sales.
Chief Customs Officer, Fraud and Prohibition, Nigel Barnes, says, this was deliberate, sustained offending by people who came to New Zealand for the purpose of committing crime.
“The pair repeatedly adapted their methods, used false information and attempted to conceal their activity, all to protect their profits and evade more than $3.7 million in duties.
“They underestimated the skill and persistence of Customs investigators, who connected hundreds of records and built a clear picture of the entire operation.
“Tobacco smugglers should be under no illusion that Customs continue to target criminal groups and individuals who seek to exploit international supply chains and undermine New Zealand's border and revenue systems."
Customs encourages anyone with information about smuggling or other border-related offending to call its confidential 24-hour hotline on 0800 WE PROTECT (0800 937 768) or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
