Porn duo pay up and go free

Two men remanded in custody after admitting importing child pornography have been freed after paying fines.

The pair, who were on a visiting cargo ship, were each fined $2000 and ordered to pay court costs when they appeared in North Shore District Court on Friday. Both were remanded in custody until the fines were paid.

A New Zealand Customs spokeswoman yesterday said the men had now been released after paying the fines.

More that $3000 worth of laptops and other storage devices had also been forfeited after the pornography was found.

Customs operations manager investigations Dave Meredith said the convictions of the men was pleasing.

"The images located on the laptops are extreme and involve the sexual exploitation of very young children," he said.

"This will hopefully send a clear message out to members of the seafaring community that this type of material is not acceptable in New Zealand."

- NZPA