A doctor awaiting extradition to the United States worked at a Kaitaia health clinic and had temporary registration to work as a GP in New Zealand.
American Deborah Sutherland, 52, is wanted by US authorities for illegally prescribing painkillers to people who did not medically need them.
Police confirmed yesterday that Sutherland
was in custody in an Auckland prison until her extradition is approved by Justice Minister Phil Goff.
Sutherland, registered here under the name Sutherland-Drake, worked at the Maranga Mai Clinic in Kaitaia, the Medical Council said.
The clinic is funded by the Te Hauora O Te Hiku O Te Ika Trust and deals with mostly Maori patients.
It uses the "nursing-led model" under which patients make free appointments to see nurses who carry out 70 per cent of treatment, but who can refer people to a GP.
The Medical Council said there had been no complaints about Sutherland.
She qualified as a doctor in 1988 at the Medical College of Virginia in the US. Her temporary New Zealand registration has no restrictions and is given to doctors visiting the country for up to three years.
Sutherland came here in January and was later joined by her husband, Bill Drake.
She was indicted in June along with six other physicians and three other employees at Myrtle Beach Comprehensive Care and Pain Management Centre in South Carolina, on charges of illegal distribution of painkillers and health care fraud. Media in Myrtle Beach have described Sutherland as a "fugitive" who was tracked down in New Zealand by US marshals.
New Zealand police spokeswoman Sarah Martin said Sutherland consented to the extradition order on October 23, but she estimated it could take two weeks for the order to be carried out.
Mr Goff's office and the Department of Corrections said they could not comment on individual cases or say where Sutherland was being held.
Mr Drake told the (Myrtle Beach) Sun News he knew there was an arrest warrant for his wife before he joined her in New Zealand, but she did not contact US authorities and they lost contact with people at Myrtle Beach.
Investigators allege the doctors at Comprehensive Care and Pain Management prescribed controlled substances, including painkillers Percocet and OxyContin, that were not medically necessary.
The investigation began after businesses complained about large crowds at the centre and pharmacies reported large numbers of patients wanting painkillers.
Money-laundering charges stem from allegations the doctors made over US$5 million ($10.31 million) through the illegal prescriptions, which was spent to promote the centre as a "painkiller clinic" in TV and newspaper advertisements.
One employee has already been sentenced to 15 months in prison and ordered to pay about US$88,000 ($179,000) for health care fraud and mail fraud.
- NZPA
A doctor awaiting extradition to the United States worked at a Kaitaia health clinic and had temporary registration to work as a GP in New Zealand.
American Deborah Sutherland, 52, is wanted by US authorities for illegally prescribing painkillers to people who did not medically need them.
Police confirmed yesterday that Sutherland
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