raz88 96 Posted July 17, 2017 Share Posted July 17, 2017 Hi team, Friends have recently arrived in nz by sea from Australia and had their flares confiscated by customs. The customs person said that they should have had a permit from epa for importing an explosive device. I've never heard of this before and would be very surprised if all boats arriving in nz are either having to organize this special permit or handing in their flares on arrival. Anyone know what this is about? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ScottiE 174 Posted July 17, 2017 Share Posted July 17, 2017 So what else was unusual in this particular situation? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beccara 25 Posted July 17, 2017 Share Posted July 17, 2017 Yeah that doesn't sound right at all :/ Were they expired? EPA would only come into play if there was a large amount as they are classed as explosives iirc Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Black Panther 1,579 Posted July 17, 2017 Share Posted July 17, 2017 Ring customs please and ask. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
raz88 96 Posted July 17, 2017 Author Share Posted July 17, 2017 Nothing particularly unusual about the situation. The boat was sailed over by a pair of experienced delivery crew who were not the owners, they were as taken aback as everyone else. Other than the confiscated flares the clearance went without a hitch, and the discussion with the customs guy was cordial and there was no upset or anything like that. The flares were all current, some pretty much new and some expiring later in the year. There were perhaps a dozen. The customs guy promised to send through further information on the epa/permit process so the owners intention is to see what arrives and then contest/call if it seems reasonable. I just wanted to get some reassurance that this was as strange as it seemed. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DrWatson 374 Posted July 19, 2017 Share Posted July 19, 2017 Smells like BS to me Quote Link to post Share on other sites
raz88 96 Posted July 19, 2017 Author Share Posted July 19, 2017 So some asking around seems to have led to the conclusion that this seems to happen regularly when clearing in in Picton. Nowhere else. Customs officer in question is sticking to their guns. I guess the next step is to try and locate a more senior person at customs and ask about a lack of consistency between ports etc. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ScottiE 174 Posted July 19, 2017 Share Posted July 19, 2017 Surely, you get issued with a permit automatically when you fill out the form in the Yacht Pack. If not then the YP needs to be updated to include a permit application form. The officer is probably correct in law - just being let down by the ministry's over paid fat cats in wellington - again - 'cause that never happens! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Myjane 40 Posted July 20, 2017 Share Posted July 20, 2017 There not explosives they don't go bang they are flairs , markers , Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beccara 25 Posted July 20, 2017 Share Posted July 20, 2017 Actually, they are in the parachutes and can contain up to 75g of explosive materials per flare. In handheld signal flares the only reason it's not explosive is one end is open. IIRC they are made with strontium nitrate. Are they going to chase this further with Customs? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Black Panther 1,579 Posted July 20, 2017 Share Posted July 20, 2017 Am I getting this right? Our bureaucracy demands you buy this safety item before you leave then confiscates it when you return because it is too dangerous? I would be laughing if i wasn't crying. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
harrytom 641 Posted July 20, 2017 Share Posted July 20, 2017 It appears they can http://www.customs.govt.nz/features/prohibited/imports/Pages/default.aspx Purpose of prohibition: New Zealand has strict controls on the importation of explosives. Import permits for all explosives, including fireworks, are issued by the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) and must be presented to Customs. The range of explosives includes items such as: Fireworks. Detonators. Gunpowder. Smokeless powders. TNT. Propellants. Igniters. Safety fuses. Flares. Model rocket engines. Bombs, grenades, torpedoes, mines, missiles, and similar munitions of war that contain an explosive charge. Flares used in Japanese motor vehicles. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
harrytom 641 Posted July 20, 2017 Share Posted July 20, 2017 maybe just need to declare them? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mattm 98 Posted July 20, 2017 Share Posted July 20, 2017 From: http://www.customs.govt.nz/features/prohibited/imports/Pages/default.aspx Purpose of prohibition: New Zealand has strict controls on the importation of explosives. Import permits for all explosives, including fireworks, are issued by the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) and must be presented to Customs. The range of explosives includes items such as: Fireworks. Detonators. Gunpowder. Smokeless powders. TNT. Propellants. Igniters. Safety fuses. Flares. Model rocket engines. Bombs, grenades, torpedoes, mines, missiles, and similar munitions of war that contain an explosive charge. Flares used in Japanese motor vehicles. The obligation is on importers to establish that the substances they are importing do not fall within the scope of the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms (HSNO) Act 1996. If you are in any doubt you should contact EPA: Environmental Protection Authority Telephone: 0800 376 234 Email: hsinfo@epa.govt.nz Website: www.epa.govt.nz I followed the links into the EPA site, which gave no straight forward answers, and provided information that may as well have been in Chinese for the good it did me to read. I'm not sure what relevance a safety kit amount of flares has with genetically modified organisms, but the import of either is dealt with in the same legislation apparently. The 'Purpose of legislation' was given at the start, in rather plain English, but had no relevance to taking safety equipment off a boat. According to the Customs guys in question, a permit could still have been obtained retrospectively, but it costs a lot and would not be worth it....... ???? The flares were 2 weeks old, normal flares, same as you get here, in the yellow container with red lid. Customs guys said they were going to destroy them. WTF Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mattm 98 Posted July 20, 2017 Share Posted July 20, 2017 maybe just need to declare them? Beat me to it. Not declare them, but arrange, in advance, from the EPA, a permit to bring them in. At least according to these particular customs guys. Every cruising boat, every ship, every plane arriving into the country should be doing this you think? 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dtwo 157 Posted July 20, 2017 Share Posted July 20, 2017 I would love Customs to come and collect all my expired flares. Pretty hard to dispose of them otherwise, nobody wants them... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ScottiE 174 Posted July 20, 2017 Share Posted July 20, 2017 I did the same for about 5mins mattm - frankly its ridiculous. you should be able to search "exploseive permit" on the EPA site and top of the list should be the f**kin permit. I maintain that if there is one (which clearly there isn't) it should be in the Yacht Pack. The officer knows this - he just being a c**t. There is a schedue of deemed to comply explosives but I just can't be bothered going through it - bet flares are actually in there somewhere! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
harrytom 641 Posted July 20, 2017 Share Posted July 20, 2017 Beat me to it. Not declare them, but arrange, in advance, from the EPA, a permit to bring them in. At least according to these particular customs guys. Every cruising boat, every ship, every plane arriving into the country should be doing this you think? Now if customs is saying provide we have a permit,when is ynz going make us get a permit to carry them or worst still need a permit to purchase?? crazy part of the safety requirements Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ScottiE 174 Posted July 20, 2017 Share Posted July 20, 2017 nope - you only need a permit to import them - not to carry them locally. When you've bought them locally presumably somebody else has already got a permit to import them! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
erice 732 Posted July 20, 2017 Share Posted July 20, 2017 Kiwi tennis ace Marina Erakovic has given Auckland Airport a serve after she was unable to take two of her racquets on a flight as they were as weapons. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.