Kratom → 🇳🇿 New Zealand

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Kratom may require documentation or declaration. Enforcement in New Zealand carries fines from NZD 400 to NZD 5,000 under Biosecurity Act 1993 s.157, s.155; Customs and Excise Act 2018 (ordinary personal cases are handled as civil infringements). Restricted status means compliant carriage is achievable with the right paperwork and quantities; the practical risks are seizure, duty, and delay rather than criminal liability for a good-faith traveller. Arrival checks are carried out by New Zealand Customs Service (NZCS); when in doubt use the declare (red) channel — declared goods at worst attract duty or surrender, while undeclared goods attract penalties. Leaving New Zealand with kratom is a separate question: restricted — Kratom's legal status varies sharply — it is lawful in New Zealand but controlled at many destinations, so treat cross-border carriage as high-risk.

Leaving New Zealand with kratom

Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) is not scheduled in New Zealand, so taking personal quantities out is not an origin-side offence. It is, however, controlled or banned in many jurisdictions (Australia, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, France, the UK for supply/export, and several EU states), and destination-side possession charges are the realistic risk. Verify the specific destination's rules before carrying; keep products in original labelled packaging.

OFFICIAL SOURCES · VERIFIED 2026-08-22