Former Tasmanian Liberal minister Adam Brooks has been arrested and charged with allegedly importing a knife disguised as a belt buckle into Australia from the US.
Court documents allege Mr Brooks, who sat in the Tasmanian parliament from 2010 to 2019 and was a government minister, imported the item into Australia in April 2019.
The item, from American company Guard Dog Security, is described on its website as "the ultimate accessory in personal defense and survival".
While the belt is advertised as "inconspicuous", the nine-centimetre blade, which "quickly releases when needed for instant deployment", is described as "razor sharp" and "precision-cut close enough to shave hair".
"Appearances can be deceptive and even the most trained eye can't tell this Guard Dog Security Covert Belt is nothing more than a fashionable cinch for your pants," the sales pitch on the company website reads.
A Tasmania Police spokesperson confirmed a 47-year-old man from the state's north-west was arrested and bailed for allegedly importing a prohibited item from the United States.
Mr Brooks has been charged with breaching the Customs Act 1901 by importing a prohibited import.
The disgraced former politician first resigned from parliament in January 2019 after an Integrity Commission report into the handling of his personal business while he was mining minister.
He was re-elected to the north-west seat of Braddon again in last year's state election but resigned one day after being elected.
He is due to appear in the Devonport Magistrates Court in April next year.
