Customs Takes 2 Tonnes of Tobacco From Farm

Source from:  The Press 05/07/2010

Customs officers have taken more than two tonnes of uncut tobacco leaf from a Motueka Valley property. A property in Nelson and another near Wellsford, north of Auckland, were also targeted yesterday in a joint Customs and police operation. The Motueka Valley raid saw officers removing tobacco from sheds at the Pangatotara farm of Laurie Jury. A Customs spokesman denied the tobacco had been seized: "It's being held while we investigate if an offence has occurred." Customs was continuing to gather evidence, he said. Jury said yesterday he had continued to grow tobacco since a Customs raid at his farm in 2005. He had sold some to licensed manufacturers and had stored the remainder. In the 2005 raid, 3.8 tonnes of raw dried tobacco leaf was seized by Customs officers. Two charges against Jury were later dropped, but he pleaded guilty to a minor offence on the proviso his tobacco was returned. It is not illegal to grow tobacco in New Zealand, but Customs excise duty must be paid when the raw, cured leaf is manufactured, or cut. It is legal to grow up to 15 kilograms of tobacco a year for personal use. A former Motueka tobacco grower, who did not want to be named, said most illegal tobacco in New Zealand was being smuggled through the country's ports, rather than grown. Enditem