In your community

Signs of cross-border crime can show up in any community, in any location, although they are most likely to occur near our border – whether by airports, ports or near the coast, especially in isolated areas. Be alert for signs of possible cross-border crime.

Around your community

Look out for:

• people or vehicles in unusual or isolated areas – especially activity that looks rushed, nervous or secretive
• vehicles operating at night without lights
• unusual aircraft movements around disused airstrips or packages being dropped from planes
• people who seem to be trying to conceal their identity.

Often it’s not what you see, but what you hear. Wherever you are, if you hear about possible illegal activity, let us know.

At your business

At any business, look out for customers who:

• seem nervous, secretive or out of place
• seem to be trying to conceal their identity or are reluctant to provide personal information
• provide identification that appears false
• make unusual purchases.

If you’re a business that sells phones, look out for customers who repeatedly buy pre-paid low-value phones.

Post and courier shops

If you work at a business that provides postal or courier services, look out for anyone who:

• seems to be trying to conceal a package or pass a concealed package near the shop
• wants to send large amounts of cash by mail or courier.

Look out for packages that:

• have unusual instructions
• have labels that don’t seem right - for example, unusual spelling mistakes or names or addresses that are obviously false
• have vague content descriptions or a content description that doesn’t seem to match the package’s shape, size or weight
• emit unusual smells or noises
• look like they’ve been damaged, modified or tampered with.

Storage companies

If you work at a company that provides storage facilities, look out for customers who:

• ask to pay large sums of cash to hire a shed with no questions asked
• seem overly concerned with security
• ask for unrestricted access at night
• provide inconsistent explanations of how a shed is being used
• seem strangely unfamiliar with processes for storing commercial goods
• seem as if they’re trying to conceal the packing/unpacking or loading/unloading of goods.

Report any storage shed that emits unusual smells or noises.

Petrol stations, garages or marine-related shops

Look out for customers who:

• buy large amounts of fuel and pay in cash
• request unusual modifications for their vessel – for example, extra fuel tanks and bulkheads

You know your community. If it doesn’t seem right, report it.

Your tip could make a difference. You do not have to provide any personal information to make a report.

If it’s an emergency

Call 111 and ask for Police when:

• someone is badly injured or in danger
• there's a serious risk to life or property
• a crime is being committed and the offenders are still there or have just left
• it's happening now or has just happened.

This information is available on the New Zealand Police website.

Before you report