| Advertising matter relating to any goods the importation of which is prohibited absolutely |
To protect the public interest |
Prohibited Absolutely |
PNG Customs Service |
Schedule 2, item 4 Customs (Prohibited Import) Regulation 1973 |
| Advertising matter relating to objectionable material |
To prevent the importation of publications or materials that are objectionable within the meaning of the Classification of Publication (Censorship) Act 1989 |
Permission of the Chief Censor |
Censorship Board |
Classification of Publication (Censorship) Act 1989 |
| Animals of all kinds and semen of animals |
Biosecurity – to prevent the importation of pests and unwanted organisms |
Permission of the Chief Quarantine (Animals) |
National Quarantine and Inspection Service |
Quarantine Act 1953 |
| Controlled drugs, such as, Cocaine, Cannabis and so on |
To protect the public health and the public interest by controlling the importation, sale, distribution, use and possession of certain dangerous drugs |
Permission of the Minister for Health |
Department of Health |
Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 |
| Counterfeit bank notes and coins and any articles that so nearly resemble bank notes and coins as to be likely to deceive |
To prevent the importation of counterfeit money not being legal tender in Papua New Guinea |
Prohibited Absolutely |
Bank of Papua New Guinea |
Central Banking Act 2000 |
| Drugs, including medicinal and prescription drugs |
To protect the public health and the public interest by controlling the importation, sale, distribution, use and possession of certain drugs |
Permission of the Minister for Health |
Department of Health |
Drugs Act 1952 |
| Firearms, parts of firearms and ammunition |
To control the importation of any firearms, parts of firearms and ammunition |
Permission of the Commissioner of Police |
Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary |
Firearms Act 1978 |
| Fireworks |
Consumer Protection |
Permission of the Minister |
PNG Customs Service |
Schedule 2, item 85 Customs (Prohibited Import) Regulation 1973 |
| Fish, living, and the spawn of fish |
Conservation |
Permission of the Director of Agriculture |
National Agriculture Quarantine and Inspection Service |
Quarantine Act 1953 |
| Foods – labelling of food stuffs |
To protect the health of the public by controlling the labelling of foods stuffs |
Labelling must be in accordance with the Food Sanitation Regulation 2007 |
Food Sanitation Council |
Food Sanitation Act 1991 |
| Goods manufactured or produced using prison labour |
To prevent the importation of goods manufactured by prison labour |
Prohibited Absolutely |
PNG Customs Service |
Schedule 2, item 92 Customs (Prohibited Import) Regulation 1973 |
| Goods that, in the opinion of the Minister, are of a dangerous character and a menace to the community |
Community Protection |
Permission of the Minister for Customs (The Treasurer) |
PNG Customs Service |
Schedule 2, item 96 Customs (Prohibited Import) Regulation 1973 |
| Goods, being book, magazines, video recordings, films, computer discs, sound recordings and so on, that are objectionable (pornography, violence, crime etc) |
To prevent the importation of publications or materials that are objectionable within the meaning of the Classification of Publication (Censorship) Act 1989 |
Permission of the Chief Censor |
Censorship Board |
Classification of Publication (Censorship) Act 1989 |
| Goods that infringe Intellectual Property Rights |
To protect the rights of the owners of copyrights or trademarks |
Suspension of Customs clearance pending civil action by right holder / ex-officio action by Customs, including seizure of goods |
PNG Customs Service |
Part VI Customs (Prohibited Import) Regulation 1973 |
| Knives that incorporate a lever or stud that, when pressed, operates a spring that causes the blade to spring open and lock automatically in the open position (flick knives etc) |
To control the importation of offensive weapons |
Prohibited Absolutely |
PNG Customs Service |
Schedule 2, item 112 Customs (Prohibited Import) Regulation 1973 |
| Literature that advocates the overthrow by force or violence of any country (including the assignation of public officials or the unlawful destruction of property) |
To control the importation of such material |
Permission of the Head of State, acting on advice |
PNG Customs Service |
Schedule 2, item 119 Customs (Prohibited Import) Regulation 1973 |
| Literature that incites disaffection, ill-will or hostility against the Government or Constitution of Papua New Guinea or among it’s people so as to endanger the peace, order or good governance of Papua New Guinea |
To control the importation of such material |
Permission of the Minister for Customs (The Treasurer) |
PNG Customs Service |
Schedule 2, item 120 Customs (Prohibited Import) Regulation 1973 |
| Matches containing white or yellow phosphorus |
Consumer Protection |
Prohibited Absolutely |
PNG Customs Service |
Schedule 2, item 124 Customs (Prohibited Import) Regulation 1973 |
| Parrots, parakeets or other birds of the family known as Psittacidae |
Conservation |
Prohibited Absolutely |
PNG Customs Service |
Schedule 2, item 164 Customs (Prohibited Import) Regulation 1973 |
| Pesticides, being any of the substances defined in Section 1 of the Environmental Contaminants (Pesticides) Regulation 1988 |
To control the importation of pesticides |
Permit issued by the Minister for the Environment |
Department of the Environment and Conservation |
Environmental Contaminants Act 1978 |
| Plastic shopping bags, being any of the substances defined as all High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) plastic bags |
To prevent the importation of non-degradable plastic bags |
Prohibited Absolutely |
PNG Customs Service |
Schedule 2, item 185A Customs (Prohibited Import) Regulation 1973 |
| Plumage and skins of birds of paradise, crowned pigeon and any of the several species of large crested pigeons known as Goura |
Conservation |
Permission of the Commissioner of Customs |
PNG Customs Service / National Agriculture Quarantine and Inspection Service |
Schedule 2, item 186 Customs (Prohibited Import) Regulation 1973 |
| Poker machines, punch boards and all similar instruments of gaming |
To control the importation of poker machines |
Permission of the National Gaming Control Board |
National Gaming Control Board |
Schedule 2, item 187 Customs (Prohibited Import) Regulation 1973 |
| All gaming machines, parts and accessories, other than poker machines, such as horse racing machines, roulette tables and wheel sets or other similar games of chance or their parts or accessories |
To prevent the importation of gaming machines |
Prohibited Absolutely |
PNG Customs Service |
Schedule 2, item 187A Customs (Prohibited Import) Regulation 1973 |
| Rice other than broken rice; glutinous rice; as a pre-packed meal; or brewer’s rice in respect of which the Commissioner has given prior written approval |
Protection of local industry, health and quality control |
Must satisfy the control measures prescribed by the Ministers responsible for trade, health and agricultural matters. |
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade / Health and National Agriculture Quarantine and Inspection Service |
Regulation 6 and Schedule 2, item 204A Customs (Prohibited Import) regulation 1973 |
| Rice, being brown rice or vitamin-enriched white rice |
Protection of local industry, health and quality control |
Must satisfy the control measures prescribed by the Ministers responsible for trade, health and agricultural matters. |
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade / Health and National Agriculture Quarantine and Inspection Service |
Regulation 6 and Schedule 2, item 204A Customs (Prohibited Import) regulation 1973 |
| Radio active substances or irradiating apparatus |
To control the importation of radio active substances |
Permit issued by the Minister for the Environment |
Department of the Environment and Conservation |
Environmental Contaminants Act 1978 |
| Silencers for use with firearms |
To prevent the importation of silencers |
Prohibited Absolutely |
Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary |
Firearms Act 1978 |
| Tear gas and similar substances |
To control the importation of tear gas |
Permission of the Commissioner of Police AND must be for the use by the Government |
Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary |
Schedule 2, item 212 Customs (Prohibited Import) Regulation 1973 |
| Vaccine, living or killed |
To control the importation of vaccine |
Permission of the Minister for health / Director of Agriculture |
Department of Health / National Agriculture Quarantine and Inspection Service |
Schedule 2, item 221 Customs (Prohibited Import) Regulation 1973 |