New Zealand Customs is waging a high-stakes battle against a booming black market tobacco trade, seizing nearly 12 million cigarettes and cigars this year alone—up from last year’s haul. Organized crime syndicates, even from Australia, are using front companies disguised as furniture importers to smuggle contraband past border controls. Over a third of the tobacco consumed locally last year was illicit, costing the government nearly $817 million in lost tax revenue—and posing serious health risks with unregulated, unknown contents. Customs is teaming up with police and health agencies to form a specialized task force, leveraging tech and intelligence to intercept shipments hidden within legitimate trade. This lucrative underworld operation is a growing challenge for authorities trying to protect public health and safeguard national revenue.
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