A Manukau District Court decision has resulted in the first successful prosecution under laws governing the export of pounamu, with a mother and son found guilty of attempting to take the stone overseas. Tuia News covered the case at an earlier hearing last month, following the filing of the application.
Boyuan Zhang and Xin Li were convicted after trying to leave Aotearoa with 17.9 kilograms of pounamu in July 2024. Customs officers stopped the pair at Auckland International Airport, where the stone was found across multiple suitcases.
The case is the first to result in a conviction under the Customs Export Prohibition (Pounamu) Order 2021, which restricts the export of more than five kilograms of raw or partially processed pounamu without approval.
Poutini Ngāi Tahu Rūnanga Co-Chair Paul Madgwick acknowledged the outcome, saying, “We welcome this decision by Judge Richard McIlraith, which upholds the mana of pounamu.”
The court also heard the family had been involved in an earlier attempt to export pounamu months prior, raising concerns about how the stone is being sourced and traded.
Co-Chair Francois Tumahai said the case highlighted ongoing challenges around enforcement. “The defence argued confusion about the rules… but the intent was clearly to remove raw pounamu from New Zealand for commercial gain,” he said.
Authorities say the ruling may influence how future cases are investigated.