Image: Flashlight stun guns intercepted by Customs

Close call for Customs officer; stun gun man fined
A Customs officer was almost stunned, literally, when an illegal stun gun disguised as a torch discharged during a baggage search. The traveller was prosecuted and has been fined $400.

When Michael Visser, 55, was stopped at Auckland Airport in August last year, he claimed he did not know the three torches he bought at a Thai market stall were stun guns. But Customs also found a Flashlight Type Stun Gun for Police Manual in his baggage.

The contact points for the stun gun were concealed in the rim of the torch and not easily visible. During examination, the stun gun activated causing a loud cracking noise and a bright flash – fortunately no one was harmed.

Visser eventually pleaded guilty in the Manukau District Court yesterday. During sentencing, the judge emphasised that his deception could have resulted in the officer injuring herself.

Customs’ Acting Group Manager Investigations and Response, Shane Panettiere, says stun guns are easily available in overseas countries where they are legal, but travellers should know that they are prohibited in New Zealand.

“Stun guns are often located at border points disguised as other items such as torches or cellphones.”

“Customs takes the importation of prohibited weapons very seriously. We will not hesitate to prosecute those who have deliberately imported these items with a criminal or commercial intent,” Mr Panettiere says.

Travellers are responsible for knowing what they bring into the country. A list of prohibited items is easily accessible on the Customs website www.customs.govt.nz

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