False receipts a problem for Customs

Press, 7 September 1981, Page 2

False receipts a problem for Customs

False receipts issued for - goods by Australian shopkeepers continue to be a problem for Customs officers at Christchurch Airport, according to the chibf Customs officer at the airport. Mr P. A. Anderton. ■ He said that. New Zealandbound travellers who presented receipts which deliberately undervalued dutiable goods could lose their purchases. . The number of petty Customs offences detected the last few months had set a record. Many of the offences had involved the presentation of false receipts— Mr Anderton said. "Some-’ times we seem to be talking to queues of people at a time explaining about receipts.” Shopkeepers, especially in Sydney, promised to “see customers right" for Customs. They wrote down a lower value on receipts for goods purchased, telling their customers that they would save on duty. But Customs officers knew the latest prices of audio and video equipment and other goods. Notices about false receipts were now displayed at Customs ’ processing benches at- airports. . Mr Anderton said. “Some

time ago our head office received the co-operation of -Australian Customs and the shops that were falsifying receipts were visited. We were told that it (falsifying receipts) had stopped but it reappeared again." Mr Anderton said that the number of people who tried to evade paying duty snowballed during the Epic-fare season. ; The number of prosecutions proceeded with in the last five months was IT in April, 10 in May, 27 in June, 50 in July, arid 28 in August. The June figures were for the last two weeks of that month. -■An offender usually had the choice of going to court of paying a fine to the Collector of Customs. Most offenders chose the latter option. In all cases the goods in contention were forfeited. He had a "stack of explanation letters" - from travellers who had been caught trying to use false receipts in recent weeks. . “There are at least twice as many who concede to amend their receipts at the last minute," he said. Many travellers who tried to use false receipts were probably not aware of duty concessions that were available.