Smuggler’s car forfeited

Press, 25 September 1980, Page 5

Smuggler’s car forfeited

A car which was used by a seaman to smuggle goods into Lyttelton in November, 1978, has been forfeited to the Crown.

Judge McAloon made the order for condemnation (forfeiture) of the vehicle on the application of the Customs Department, represented by Mr D. J. L. Saunders. The defendant was Ronald lan Attewell, for whom Mr M. F. McClelland appeared.

The application was heard in August, and the Judge reserved his‘ decision . to. yseterday. F idence had been that the defendant was seen by a customs officer to place two parcels in the back seat of his car on Gladstone Pier on November 2, 1978. A search showed the parcels to con-

tain two radios, bottles of spirits, and 1040 cigarettes, to a total value of $553. ■ The defendant was later convicted on a charge of smuggling. The Customs Department issued a notice of the seizing of his car used in the offence, and the defendant disputed the seizing, landing to the department’s present application. In his reserved judgment the Judge held that the car should be condemned because it was a vehicle used in the smuggling of goods, a fact which, he said, had been admitted by the defendant.

The Judge made an order for condemnation of the car in favour of the Collector of Customs. He reserved the question of costs.