Sailors fined for child porn

Two men have been remanded in custody to pay fines after pleading guilty to importing child pornography.

The men, 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. More than $3000 worth of laptops and other storage devices had also been forfeited.

NZ Customs operations manager investigations Dave Meredith said the result was pleasing.

"The images located on the accused's laptops are extreme and involve the sexual exploitation of very young children," he said. "This will hopefully send a clear message out to the seafaring community that this type of material is not acceptable in New Zealand."

He said customs had often located adult material on visiting ships, but the interception of this kind of extreme objectionable material was a real concern.

Shipping NZ secretary Bruce Heather said his organisation gave customs its full backing.

"We have already informed all of our member shipping companies of customs' earlier advice as to the consequences of foreign crew found in possession of such material."

- NZPA