Customs celebrates successes on International Customs Day

To mark International Customs Day 2025, celebrated annually on January 26, the New Zealand Customs Service has released some of its preliminary data for the past year.

With the aim of protecting and promoting New Zealand across borders, Customs focuses on three core areas: preventing threats or risks from crossing our borders; supporting the efficient flow of trade; and providing a streamlined experience for international travellers.

New Zealand Customs Service comptroller and chief executive Christine Stevenson, says Customs’ efforts in 2024 have resulted in the seizure of approximately 4900 kilograms of illicit drugs, preventing approximately $4.8 billion in social and economic harm in New Zealand.

“Thanks to our hardworking officers working across New Zealand’s airports, ports, and freight facilities, Customs has seized an estimated 2,184 kilograms methamphetamine, 468.2 kilograms cocaine and 550.4 kilograms MDMA sent here by transnational criminal groups.

“Through our international collaboration and intelligence sharing partnerships, our overseas counterparts have advised us that they have seized an additional 2,951.9 kilograms of illicit drugs within their own jurisdictions before they could be smuggled to New Zealand,” she says.

Christine explains that Customs agencies across the world play an important dual role of protecting our borders while supporting the flow of law-abiding travel and trade.

“In addition to these significant drug seizures, Customs is proud of maintaining its record that sees 98.7 percent of compliant trade cleared electronically within five minutes.

“Another 14.2 million international travellers were passed through our airports and seaports in 2024.

“Our strong collaboration with partner agencies in New Zealand and overseas enhances the excellent work of Customs’ frontline, targeting and analytics, intelligence, and investigations teams. The results can be seen in the drug seizures and trade and traveller volumes we process.”

Christine adds that it is ultimately through the commitment and perseverance of its staff that Customs can uphold its mandate of protecting and promoting New Zealand.

“Our responsibilities for keeping New Zealand’s air, maritime and cyber borders safe, secure and as simple as possible to navigate is a seven-days a-week operation, 365 days a year.

“I’m extremely proud of the commitment our people put into delivering services that protect New Zealand and its interests and make us a highly respected border agency that plays its part in promoting the aims and objectives of customs agencies across the globe,” she says.

The theme of this year’s International Customs Day, set by the World Customs Organization, is “delivering on the commitment to efficiency, security and prosperity”.

Statistics

Below is Customs’ preliminary data on drug seizures, trade and travel volumes in 2024:

Key drug seizures January 1 to December 31

Trade data – January 1 to December 31

Travel data – January 1 to December 31