Smuggled diamonds up for auction
By ANNA CHALMERS - The Dominion Post found at stuff.co.nz
| Thursday, 29 November 2007
Diamonds are usually a girl's best friend. But when they are
worth $250,000 and have been illegally smuggled into the country, they become an
art auctioneer's best friend.
The dazzling contents of a diamond-smuggling ring - busted by customs
officers checking mail - will go under the hammer next Wednesday at Webb's
in Auckland.
Officers were tipped off to the collection, which has a retail value of
$250,000, after a package of loose diamonds was discovered during a routine
X-ray check.
Included in the collection are a pair of two-carat round diamonds (about
eight millimetres in diameter) and a 112 carat princess cut diamond.
photo:
JOHN SELKIRK/Dominion Post
SMUGGLED DIAMONDS BUSTED:
The dazzling contents of a diamond-smuggling ring - busted by customs
officers checking mail - are to go up for auction. Webb's jewellery
consultant Christopher Devereaux eyes one worth $58,000.
Webb's jewellery consultant Christopher Devereaux said the owner had paid the
ultimate price in trying to evade duty and gst on the jewels.
"It was just a really dumb thing to do. To [try and] save a very small
amount of money, a very, very significant amount of money has been lost."
Customs investigations and response manager Paul Campbell said that after
discovering the diamonds, officers delivered the jewels to the importer, who had
20 days to complete paper work.
When nothing was received a search warrant was executed and several packages
of diamonds seized.
"As a result of our inquiries, we were aware he loaned diamonds out to
jewellers on a consignment basis [payment received once diamonds sold] and that
some of these also had not had the duty and gst paid on them."
Officers seized the collection and the importer was prosecuted at Auckland
District Court in June last year.
Mr Devereaux said though the exact history of the jewels was unknown, they
were not "blood diamonds" - the name given to black market trade in
diamonds to fund civil war.
The jewels had arrived in standard "diamond papers", carefully
folded to protect them.
Webb's regularly carried out auctions for Customs at a "trade
rate", Mr Devereaux said.
Mr Campbell said proceeds from the diamond sale would go into the
Government's "consolidated fund".
