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National

By Finn Blackwell of RNZ

An Auckland couple have been sentenced for importing and selling thousands of illegal weapons and drug paraphernalia.

The pair were sentenced on Tuesday in the Auckland District Court, where a 50-year-old was man given eight months' home detention, and a 49-year-old woman ordered to pay $1200.

Their East Tamaki importing company, Kai Yuan 365 Limited, was given a $45,000 fine and convicted on four charges of importing prohibited goods, as well as a charge of selling prohibited goods.

Customs said investigators in June 2025 searched the couple's home, business, and a storage facility, discovering large numbers of flick knives, butterfly knives, and throwing knives, alongside knuckle-dusters and military style airguns.

The goods sourced from China arrived in multiple sea freight consignments, it said, with thousands of prohibited items seized between October 2022 and February 2025 including knives, bayonets, and utensils for methamphetamine.

Acting chief Customs…