Men smuggled card skimming gear into NZ in air fryers, laptops
An Auckland man who smuggled card skimming equipment into New Zealand and withdrew more than $60,000 has been sentenced.
The 21-year-old and another man hid the equipment in low-value electronics like air fryers.
He was sentenced to six months' community detention and 12 months' supervision at the Auckland District Court yesterday after being convicted of knowingly importing goods for dishonest purposes and possessing goods designed with intent to facilitate the commission of crimes involving dishonesty.
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The other man, also a 21-year-old Aucklander, was sentenced to 10 months' home detention on the same charges in November.
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Between March and July 2023, the two men smuggled 12 packages containing card-skimming equipment into New Zealand.
The equipment was hidden in low-value electronic goods like air-fryers, used laptops, and TV antennas.
The card-skimming equipment smuggled into New Zealand. (Source: Supplied)
The packages were sent to fake names at parcel collection lockers across Auckland.
The duo then targeted ATMs and parking machines, including at a hospital carpark.
In total, the two men successfully withdrew $60,477.61 with a further NZ$21,500 of attempted or declined withdrawals.
In April 2023, customs officers intercepted an air freight package which hid a card skimming device sent from the United States.
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At a raid on the man sentenced yesterday's house, customs found retail rewards cards with skimmed bank data, and a cash counting machine. Further searches identified card-reading software on the man's laptop.
'Card-skimming is a financial crime that directly targets unsuspecting New Zealanders going about their daily business, and which causes a lot of stress for victims when they discover their card has been used to withdraw large sums without their knowledge," chief customs officer - fraud and prohibition, Nigel Barnes, said
'Customs will do our part in stopping these devices getting into New Zealand, and prosecuting those involved in bringing them in,' he said.
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