Computers, smart phones targeted in New Zealand crackdown on obscene materials

New Zealand Customs officers are stepping up detection of obscene material, such as child sexual abuse images, as the country prepares for longer jail terms for those found bringing such material across the border. Customs officers were increasing their focus on computers, smart phones and other electronic items that could be used to store and share objectionable material, Customs manager border operations Shane Panettiere said Thursday. Last year, Customs held 295 computers and 548 electronic devices for detailed examination, and targeted searches of passengers' luggage at airports led to a number of arrests. These included a German tourist who was jailed for importing objectionable publications and images after Customs found more than 35,000 child sexual abuse images on his laptop. "We have to remember that this imagery is not victimless. An infant, child or young person is being sexually tortured or abused for the pleasure of others," Panettiere said in a statement. "Adding to this misery is the fact that once in the public domain, these images never go away and the victims have to live with this fact for the rest of their lives." Customs officers looked closely at around 0.8 percent of the 10 million passengers traveling through New Zealand's international airports, targeting people according to information from other domestic or overseas agencies, and if a border official had concerns about a passenger's reasons for travel. "We need to do this to identify and deal with those criminals causing harm in our global communities," Panettiere said. The current maximum penalty for possessing, importing or exporting objectionable material is five years' imprisonment, and 10 years for distribution, but the Objectionable Publications and Indecency Legislation Bill to be enacted by June would increase penalties to 10 years and 14 years, respectively.