Fact or fiction? The tale of the gun in the computer

The gimmick gigabyte gaming board

Claims of a computer being destroyed at a New Zealand airport after scans suggested a gun was being smuggled inside have baffled Customs.

News of the alleged scare surfaced on social media and has been picked up by international tech websites.

The tenor of the tale goes that officers at an unnamed New Zealand airport spotted the pistol-shaped item embedded inside a computer being shipped into the country from abroad.

The obviously keen gamer's machine is then said to have been taken apart by cautious Customs officers.

However, instead of finding a working firearm inside, they uncovered a gimmick gigabyte gaming board called, G1 Assassin 2, shaped like a handgun.

The regurgitated yarn ends with the computer being "destroyed" by Customs.

It has sparked earnest and vigorous debate on gaming websites and on social media machine, Reddit.

Customs say they investigated the story when it first surfaced on social media last week.

They can find no record of the incident at any of their ports.

However, a spokeswoman confirmed that the importer has laid a complaint with Customs over the alleged damage to the machine.

"Customs has no record of inspecting the parcel and the complainant is unable to provide shipping details for us to follow-up," she said.

"Based on the details we have been given by the complainant it is likely that the computer has been inspected en route to New Zealand rather than at the border here due to the fact that the method of resealing this particular package, as advised by the importer, is not one that NZ Customs uses."

She doubted Customs offers would "destroy" a computer in such an incident.

The owner, when contacted, refused to comment while Customs were investigating his complaint.

His machine is currently being fixed by a Wellington computer store.

The G1 Assassin 2 motherboard, complete with signature "Locked and Loaded" heat pipe pistol or machinegun design, is readily available for sale in New Zealand, and on global retail giant, Amazon for US$732.59.

The Reddit thread where it was first posted last week has prompted more than 650 comments.

Many blame Customs for destroying the machine.

"They don't need to destroy anything to see that it isn't a real gun," one user said.

Another said: "Please tell me you were compensated or were at the very least given an apology!"

But others took the side of the airport workers.

"They are just doing their job," one post said.

"Maybe don't bring something that clearly looks like a gun to an airport next time. What did you think would happen?"