New zealand customs fine - advice

lon_85

Hi everyone My parents flew to new zealand and forgot they had packed 2 onions In their carry-on luggage -  they were issued a fine of 400 NZD by customs and given option of pay now, pay in 14 days or appeal. They chose to appeal and did not hear back until now- they are back in India now. Does anyone know what will happen if they don't pay - can they be banned from NZ or can they extradite them for court case? Letter says they need to pay 1000 NZD if they don't pay the current fine or risk going to court. Any legal experts here that can advise? When they were initially checked they had to give their uk home address email phone number etc 

Emmia

How do you "forget" you've packed two onions?!

Wonka_2

Emmia said:

How do you "forget" you've packed two onions?!

And more importantly on what grounds did they appeal (or appeel 😉)

Surely it’s an absolute offence ? 

eDicky

lon_85 said:

They chose to appeal and did not hear back until now- (....) Letter says they need to pay 1000 NZD if they don't pay the current fine or risk going to court.

Do you mean that the appeal was denied and they still have the opportunity to pay the original fine, with no increase..?

lon_85

Unfortunately my mum is forgetting lots of stuff :-( her old age

Well they didn't really have grounds to appeal my dad just tried his best - said that my mum has memory issues with old age and taking blood pressure tablets etc 

They have just written back stating their appeal failed and they need to pay fine or risk it increasing to 1000 nzd or go to court! Considering they are in another country now what are the consequences do they have any rights?

lon_85

eDicky said:

lon_85 said:

They chose to appeal and did not hear back until now- (....) Letter says they need to pay 1000 NZD if they don't pay the current fine or risk going to court.

Do you mean that the appeal was denied and they still have the opportunity to pay the original fine, with no increase..?

Yes correct 

lon_85

https://www.mpi.govt.nz/bring-send-to-nz/bringing-and-posting-items-to-nz/what-happens-if-you-fail-to-declare/

eskbanker

lon_85 said:

Any legal experts here that can advise?

lon_85 said:

Considering they are in another country now what are the consequences do they have any rights?

I suspect that it's ambitious to expect that anyone on here will be expert in New Zealand law, or its enforcement?

elsien

I’m not sure what you mean by what are their rights? They have the right to appeal, which they have done and the appeal has been turned down. What further rights do you expect there to be?

Do they want to go back to New Zealand in the future? If they do, then they probably need to pay it.

marcia_

lon_85 said:

https://www.mpi.govt.nz/bring-send-to-nz/bringing-and-posting-items-to-nz/what-happens-if-you-fail-to-declare/

 Don't know about NZ but Australia stops you coming into the country if you have unpaid debts to the government. Probably something similar in NZ 

jimi_man

If they never want to travel to or through New Zealand again then I’d probably leave it. If they do, or there is a chance that they might then I’d pay it.