A Tongan business man has been sentenced to 28 months imprisonment at the Auckland District Court on 23 charges relating to defrauding the revenue of customs in the shipment of loose leaf tobacco into the country from Tonga.
Over a period of 21 months, Mosese Vakapuna, aged 60, smuggled more than 6000 kilograms of what is known as “Tongan Tobacco” into Auckland to be sold and distributed from his store in Auckland.
New Zealand Customs busted Mr. Vakapuna, and charged him for smuggling and six tonnes of tobacco, and evading more than $10 million in taxes.
Customs investigations manager Dominic Adams said that while it is not illegal to import tobacco in commercial quantities, “businesses and individuals need to declare it correctly, have the relevant import permits, and are liable to pay the taxes”.
Mr. Vakapuna evaded $10,300,945 in import and excise fees, Customs said.
It is noted that this may have been the biggest shipments of Tongan tobacco on record to any country.
Tongan tobacco has been grown in Tonga for ages, and consumed locally, but in recent years the tobacco has become a lucrative export overseas, mostly for sale to Tongans overseas and other Pacific Islanders.
There is also a potential big market developing in China. Word from the Chinese Embassy in Tonga is that Tongan tobacco is in great demand and may be exported to China.
