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Some of new zealands tobacco laws

Seanz

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However, it is legal to import tobacco products for personal use
Each individual entering New Zealand may bring in tobacco for their personal use provided it does not
exceed the duty free allowance which is currently set at 200 cigarettes or 250 grams of tobacco, or a
combination weighing no more than 250 grams. If an individual brings in more than their duty free
allowance then they are required to declare and pay excise duty or have the extra tobacco confiscated.
It is illegal to manufacture tobacco without paying excise duties
Growing and harvesting tobacco is legal in New Zealand, but manufacturing must be done on premises
licensed by the New Zealand Customs Service, and excise duty paid on the finished product. Tobacco
manufacturing, which includes the process of cutting, pressing, drying, crushing or rubbing any raw or leaf
tobacco, is subject to tobacco excise duty. The sale of partially manufactured tobacco or the sale of
tobacco scraps, off cuts, waste or clippings also attracts excise duty.
However, it is legal to manufacture tobacco at home for personal use
Under a recent amendment to the Customs and Excise Act 1996, it is legal to manufacture tobacco in a
private house or dwelling place provided:
• The tobacco is manufactured by an individual who is aged 18 years or older;
• The individual manufactures the tobacco in the individual’s private house or dwelling place for the
individual’s use and not for sale to any other person;
• The leaves or plants used in the manufacture of the tobacco were grown on land on which the
individual’s private house or dwelling place is located and is for the individual’s personal use and not
for sale or disposition to any other person; and
• The amount of manufactured tobacco does not exceed 15 kilograms per year (equivalent to about 89
RYO cigarettes per day).
Committing an offence could result in fines or imprisonment
Those who breach the (tobacco) provisions of the Customs and Excise Act 1996 (and its amendments) are
liable on conviction to penalties that are up to:
• In the case of an individual, imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or to a fine not
exceeding $20,000, or to both; or
• In the case of a body corporate, to a fine not exceeding $100,000.
Offences can be committed across a number of sections in the Act including but not limited to;
• Manufacture of cigarettes/tobacco in an unlicensed area;
• Possession of cigarettes/tobacco that the person knows is uncustomed goods;
• Purchasing, selling, exchanging or otherwise acquiring or disposing of cigarettes/tobacco that the
person knows are uncustomed goods;
• Knowingly concealing any cigarettes/tobacco that the person knows are dutiable; and
• Defrauding the revenue of Customs including evading payment of excise duty or full excise duty on
cigarettes/tobacco and obtaining an excise duty refund when not entitled.
There is also the possibility of conviction under the Crimes Act 1961 for false documentation which carries
further fines and/or jail terms.
 

notcrack

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I might be wrong seanz, but you look all good for importing whole leaf. I would buy a small amount and see how it gets through.
I was worried when I first imported, but I've never had problems with anything under 3kg.
Good luck
 

notcrack

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You might even get away without paying the customs charges.
I would just go for it. If you're caught claim ignorance. If you follow the laws stated you are doing nothing wrong. They read like the UK's laws. Don's packages have never been stopped for me.
 

notcrack

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Good luck with it. I'm a fan of the cigarette sampler. Has everything you''ll need to start off with.
Fingers crossed for you.
 

FmGrowit

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The cigarette sampler was actually designed for international shipping in mind. Anything under 4 lbs. can be sent USPS First Class International for about $30. First Class mail is a little slower, but it draws much less attention than priority mail. I have a regular customer in NZ and there has never been an issue with receiving whole leaf even when the package is inspected by customs.
 

Chicken

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those are some stiff penalities, for nothing more than a bacca product,,,

what is the world coming to,???
 

FormerMember

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hi guys
so we can import whole leaf into nz? no worries no duty tax?
as raw leaf its not a manufacture product is my understanding so its good to come in.

cheers
 

FormerMember

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if anyone in nz wants to split a pound of cigar tobacco and shipping 50/50 im interested, honesty assured. and i have scales
 

Orson Carte

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At the risk of sounding totally negative I have to say that I'll be quite surprised if you have any takers on that offer.
Half a pound of whole-leaf tobacco is less than you think and you (and your prospective 'partner') will end up (after losing about 30% in the de-stemming) with about 315 grams (11oz) each.
And that 315g is going to cost you around NZ$53. (That is, about NZ$106 for the pound).
The reason for this is that the freight, currency exchange rate, and the fact that you're almost certain to have to pay for 'heat treatment'* at the border (costing a fee of $45, regardless of the weight) means that the US$18 per pound balloons to NZ$106 delivered on your doorstep.
It gets worse; you are talking about 'cigar tobacco' (which is a blend, rather than a 'variety') and you can't actually buy a blend, by the pound (without paying excessive excise tax).
Even if you settled on buying just one cigar-type variety, you wouldn't have the makings of a cigar. And it's going to be even dearer than the calculated $106/lb because my reckoning is based on the cost of the cheapest whole-leaf cigarette variety, whereas cigar varieties are generally significantly dearer.

* This Heat Treatment, which sometimes in the past was, by sheer luck, avoided now seems to be the norm. It is no doubt necessary for bio-security reasons but it has the effect of significantly 'changing' the tobacco. So much so, in fact, that it has pretty much put me off importing it.
 

burge

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Best to get a whole bunch of tobacco it does not get bad. I am in Canada during the sale got 12 lbs and shipping was for 7lbs 60 dollars for 6lbs 70 for 12 lbs something like that. I basically got 4lbs free. Compared to making 2 separate orders. Anything you bring in counts towards your limits. Canada its 15kgs a year.
 

FormerMember

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found this page on face book: Whole Leaf Tobacco NZ
although he wont sell to smokers and states its for insecticide manufacture, sells 1lb for $150 nz
 

Orson Carte

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found this page on face book: Whole Leaf Tobacco NZ
although he wont sell to smokers and states its for insecticide manufacture, sells 1lb for $150 nz

Oh, he won't sell to smokers? Yeah, right! He probably also sells crystal meth too - but only for unblocking drains. Without doubt he's breaking the law.
He's also very likely to be buying from the same place that you're looking at (costing him around $50 a pound) and trying to resell it at 200% profit.
My advice is to go ahead and plan to grow your own. And to keep you going in the meantime import some whole leaf tobacco from this site - but don't buy it by the pound because it's an unecomical way to do it.
 

Kiwi2018

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Some good feedback here. Well I've put an order in for a sample pack so will run the gauntlet and post back when it's done.
Cheers for the insights. I'll keep my fingers crossed and see
 

FormerMember

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theres also virginia gold tobacco suppliers nz. same deal selling as insecticide raw materials
 
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