Customs officers intercepted two shipments of illicit tobacco from Tonga over the past year. An Auckland businessman has been arrested for allegedly being involved in the smuggling of illegal tobacco from Tonga, believed to total $1.8 million in avoided taxes. Inspections of shipping containers at Customs’ Sea Cargo Inspections Facility in Auckland discovered the loose-leaf tobacco, Customs said. Customs Investigations manager Cam Moore warned people buying cheap tobacco needed to be sceptical of sellers’ claims that the tobacco was legal. “Over recent years, Customs has ramped up its tobacco seizures and arrests, and is also seeing an increased overlap of illegal tobacco with other illicit commodities and financial crimes.”“Illicit tobacco is not a victimless crime.
