OIA RESPONSE
27 June 2019
Official Information Act request: D. J. I. Ross
– Psilocybin Interceptions 2010 – 2018
NOTES
1. The information in this document was obtained from the New Zealand Customs
Service (Customs) database. While the information is considered correct at the
date it was extracted (27 June 2019), it may be amended or reviewed at any time.
This document contains information on the number of Psilocybin intercepted at
the New Zealand border, from 2010 to 2018.
Drugs and prescription medicines
2. The first Temporary Class Drug Notice (TCDN) was issued by the Minister of
Health on 9 August 2011. From 16 August 2011 all imports and exports of
chemicals covered by the TCDN are forfeited under the Customs and Excise Act
2018. Enforcement powers under the Customs and Excise Act 2018 and the
Misuse of Drugs Act 1975 apply as though these substances are Class C1
controlled drugs.
Terminology
3. When Customs finds prohibited goods or goods that have been, undeclared,
mis-declared or undervalued for revenue evasion purposes at the border, it is
referred to as an ‘interception’. From there Customs takes custody of goods, at
which point they are ‘detained’. Goods that are ‘detained’ can be either released
back to the importer (usually when conditions/requirements have been met e.g.
duty and GST paid, doctor’s prescription/permit produced etc) or formally ‘seized’.
Seizure is a specific legal action that alters the legal status of the goods and
instigates a sequence of legal requirements.
4. Goods which cross the border are either legitimate or prohibited (conditional or
absolute). Prohibited goods include controlled drugs and prescription medicines,
drug paraphernalia, objectionable material, weapons, copyright/trade mark goods
(IPR), items containing endangered species (CITES), and items covered by the
Customs Import Prohibition Order (CIPO).
1
5. For the purposes of this request, Psilocybin interceptions have been classified
into three categories: ‘Mushroom’, ‘Spore’ and ‘Other’.
6. ‘Mushroom’ can refer to any interception where Psilocybin is in mushroom form,
whole or partial; ‘Spore’ can include seeds; ‘Other’ can refer to any form of
Psilocybin that is either not mushrooms or spores (for example, pills or vials of
liquids), or where the form of Psilocybin is not explicitly stated.
7. Some incidents may have resulted in two forms of Psilocybin being intercepted
(for example, a mushroom and spores can be intercepted during the same
incident).
2
Information requested:
Form
Years Incidents Grams Items Millilitres
Mushroom 2010
3
175
-
-
2011
4
52.7
-
-
2012
2
32
-
-
2013
4
689
-
-
2014
5
133.4
-
-
2015
11
947.1
-
-
2016
6
84
-
-
2017
7
148.5
2
-
2018
4 2595.8
-
-
Mushroom Total
46 4857.5
2
-
Spore
2010
2
-
1
10
2011
-
-
-
-
2012
4
0.1
3
20
2013
4
192
1
10
2014
6
-
35.5
150
2015
3
2.1
-
280
2016
1
1.8
-
-
2017
1
-
6
-
2018
4 2305.6
4
10
Spore Total
25 2501.6
50.5
480
Other
2010
-
-
-
-
2011
-
-
-
-
2012
2
22
-
20
2013
-
-
-
-
2014
1
-
-
12
2015
2
20.4
-
9
2016
1
-
2
-
2017
3
93.9
27.8
-
2018
-
-
-
-
Other Total
9
136.3
29.8
41
-ends-
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