Fishpond fined $50k for selling illegal items

  • 31/08/2015
Fishpond fined $50k for selling illegal items

Fishpond has been fined $50,000 for selling electronic devices deemed to pose a threat to public safety.

The Auckland-based online retailer received the fine in the Manukau District Court after the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) bought a pair of electronic devices from the company to test them.

One of the items, a Garmin DC50 dog tracking device, was found to be unsuitable for use on the country's radio spectrum.

"This item had the potential to cause interference with other licensed services creating issues with people’s safety," said Fadia Mudafar, a compliance officer of radio spectrum management at MBIE.

"Radiotelephone services are used by people in transport, forestry and logging operations and breaks in the signal would result in poor communications with a risk for misunderstanding. Any interference is a significant safety risk.

"The other item was a wireless digital audio transmitter and receiver sender that operated on a radio band assigned exclusively for aeronautical use," Ms Mudafar said. The device's plug was also deemed unsafe as it didn't comply with New Zealand's safety standards.

Fishpond has received five previous warnings for advertising radio communication equipment that failed to comply with local laws.

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