Port of Tahiti Photo: RNZI Walter Zweifel
Reports from French Polynesia say customs officials were made to return weapons and alcohol seized on a Chinese government-owned ship.
The public broadcaster said the incident occurred last week when the research vessel Haiyang 6 was in port in Tahiti.
It said the officials searched the ship and found guns, ammunition, alcohol and cigarettes which were then seized.
According to the report, when they contacted the Chinese embassy in Paris, they were told that it was a Chinese state vessel.
They were told that under international conventions, customs officials weren't allowed to confiscate their belongings and the seized goods were returned.
