What do ecstasy tablets, Arabian knives, a counterfeit United States driver's licence and Disney jigsaw puzzles have in common? They were all intercepted by border security in Southland and Otago last year.
Information released to the Otago Daily Times shows smugglers continue to target port of entries in the South, with the New Zealand Customs Service and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry's Biosecurity New Zealand intercepting a wide range of contraband, including drugs, weapons and objectionable material.
Customs spokesman Rowan McArthur said the biggest issue facing the department was the importation of the class C drug pseudoephedrine, the principal component used in the manufacture of methamphetamine (P).
For the year ended December 31, 2008, the department intercepted four cases of class C drugs at Queenstown Airport, two at Dunedin International Airport and one at an undisclosed Dunedin address.
Customs also recorded two interceptions of the class B drug, MDMA (ecstasy), at Dunedin International Airport, with all seizure of drugs sparking investigations, he said.
Mr McArthur said staff also seized illegal medicines, such as fake Viagra, from the Dunedin airport (13 interceptions), Queenstown airport (4) and one case from a Dunedin address.
Weapons, including bayonets, daggers, replica firearms and Arabian knives, were also seized from the Dunedin area, with knuckle-dusters intercepted from Queenstown airport.
As well, staff seized suspected trademark goods - Ralph Lauren polo shirts from Bluff, Jack Daniels T-shirts from a Dunedin premises and a Disney jigsaw from Port Chalmers.
In other cases, two DVD consignments containing objectionable material were seized from the port of Bluff and a counterfeit United States driver's licence from Dunedin airport.
All contraband items were destroyed, Mr McArthur said.
Biosecurity New Zealand recorded 98 infringement notices in the southern region for the year to July 31, 2008. Queenstown airport passengers accounted for 54 fines and Dunedin airport, 44 fines, with no prosecutions recorded.
Maf South Island passenger and cargo clearance manager Kevin Kennett, of Christchurch, said an Australian passenger was found with a mandarin with fruit fly at Dunedin airport in April.
"The impact of fruit fly getting into a place like Queenstown would be devastating for the local fruit industry."
Contraband was detected by means including physical inspections, surveillance and the use of detector dogs and X-ray machines.
"We also rely on the honesty of passengers. It is important people declare what they are bringing in because even a piece of fruit can have ramifications."
