Car racket busted, claims Customs

Press, 24 March 1988, Page 53

Car racket busted, claims Customs

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JANELLE MILES

NZPA-AAP I .Brisbane Customs officials say they; have uncovered[ a smuggling racket in which cars! stolen in the United States are cut into pieces, shipped to' Australia [or New; Zealand, reassembled and sold. Customs officers on the Gold Coast recently seized a consignment of- “spare parts,” comprising the components of a two-door 1986 black Mercedes 560 SL sedan, stolen from a United States hire firm and I cut with a power saw. Similar cars are valued about $150,000 in Australia. Th)e investigating officer, Senior Inspector Noel; Taylor, said customs officers believed two Other stolen cars Jn the shipment had be?n ex-

ported to New Zealand vih Australia! I [The cars were being stolen in California,-cut into pieces,) packed ! into containers and shipped separately as spare parts to Australia or as (complete vehicles to New Zealand. : ' : [Cars shipped into! Australia attract duty| and sales tax of more tha.n 150 per cent; spare parts attract duty of about 25 per cent.' . . [ The . Customs regional investigations manager, Mr Lester Hampson; said the smuggling operation appeared to have ! been going on for some time. ; “We can’t say (exactly how long it had been operating or how much riioney was involved but it was certainly well thought said.

I ,j I [ ;| j i “Oun findings may; only be thje'tip of the iceberg. The people!, we are) dealing with ai[e very professional [with international connections,” he said. T I ‘ I i i [ ; Mr Hampson said ‘BriSj bane! (customs officials were [working with) the New; Zealand authorities to trace the two; dther vehicles, also reported to havh been) stolen in the United States? _[ [ . ' The! cars had '.forged New Southl Wales registration [ certificates and! false purchase invoices to [avoid New Zealand licensing requirements on imported vehicles, j ! [ ‘ [1 I; .'' ■ I i ' I '1 ■ • Penalties under! the Customs Act for evading duty lin [ Australia) can [range! from .twice to five (timesi the [amount: oyzed.