News (Media Awareness Project) - New Zealand: Tanczos Co-Owner of Store Importing Seized Hemp |
| Title: | New Zealand: Tanczos Co-Owner of Store Importing Seized Hemp |
| Published On: | 2003-07-03 |
| Source: | Dominion Post, The (New Zealand) |
| Fetched On: | 2008-01-20 02:31:35 |
TANCZOS CO-OWNER OF STORE IMPORTING SEIZED HEMP PRODUCTS
Customs has seized a shipment of hemp products destined for an
Auckland store co-owned by Green party MP Nandor Tanczos.
The Hemp Store Aotearoa yesterday filed papers in Manukau District
Court seeking to have the Customs Service release the products, worth
about $20,000.
The consignment contains hemp tea and a brand of smoking mixture from
Germany called Knaster Hanf.
Mr Tanczos said customs had cleared such products before and he was
unsure why this shipment had been seized.
Customs had been provided with the correct import documentation, which
showed THC - the active ingredient in marijuana - in the products was
well below the usual 0.3 per cent for hemp, he said.
Hemp Store spokesman Chris Fowlie said it was the first seizure in
seven years of importing hemp products.
Customs would only tell him that the shipment had been identified as
cannabis.
The seizure notice did not mention THC levels in the products, Mr
Fowlie said.
Customs spokeswoman Lisa-Marie Richan said "an amount of cannabis" had
been seized but the service could not comment further as the matter
was now before the courts.
Simon Williamson, drug investigations operations manager, was today
quoted as saying a total of 56kg of cannabis had been intercepted at
Auckland Airport.
Mr Tanczos said he did not blame customs for taking action, although
the service had been "inconsistent" in its approach to hemp products,
and a law change was required.
He has proposed an amendment to the Misuse of Drugs Act that would
establish a THC content threshold which would distinguish between
marijuana and hemp.
His private member's bill, introduced in May 2001 to deal with the
issue, is expected to come before the primary production select
committee again in a few weeks.
"Until the law is changed there is confusion about whether the laws
governing marijuana apply to hemp, which is not psycho-active.
"Potentially, an importer of hemp jeans could be prosecuted for
importation of a Class C controlled substance."
Mr Tanczos said he had not considered severing his ties as a director
and shareholder in the store while in Parliament.
Customs has seized a shipment of hemp products destined for an
Auckland store co-owned by Green party MP Nandor Tanczos.
The Hemp Store Aotearoa yesterday filed papers in Manukau District
Court seeking to have the Customs Service release the products, worth
about $20,000.
The consignment contains hemp tea and a brand of smoking mixture from
Germany called Knaster Hanf.
Mr Tanczos said customs had cleared such products before and he was
unsure why this shipment had been seized.
Customs had been provided with the correct import documentation, which
showed THC - the active ingredient in marijuana - in the products was
well below the usual 0.3 per cent for hemp, he said.
Hemp Store spokesman Chris Fowlie said it was the first seizure in
seven years of importing hemp products.
Customs would only tell him that the shipment had been identified as
cannabis.
The seizure notice did not mention THC levels in the products, Mr
Fowlie said.
Customs spokeswoman Lisa-Marie Richan said "an amount of cannabis" had
been seized but the service could not comment further as the matter
was now before the courts.
Simon Williamson, drug investigations operations manager, was today
quoted as saying a total of 56kg of cannabis had been intercepted at
Auckland Airport.
Mr Tanczos said he did not blame customs for taking action, although
the service had been "inconsistent" in its approach to hemp products,
and a law change was required.
He has proposed an amendment to the Misuse of Drugs Act that would
establish a THC content threshold which would distinguish between
marijuana and hemp.
His private member's bill, introduced in May 2001 to deal with the
issue, is expected to come before the primary production select
committee again in a few weeks.
"Until the law is changed there is confusion about whether the laws
governing marijuana apply to hemp, which is not psycho-active.
"Potentially, an importer of hemp jeans could be prosecuted for
importation of a Class C controlled substance."
Mr Tanczos said he had not considered severing his ties as a director
and shareholder in the store while in Parliament.
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