The passport Karel Sroubek travelled to New Zealand on, in the name of Jan Antolik. Photo / Supplied
The passport Karel Sroubek travelled to New Zealand on, in the name of Jan Antolik. Photo / Supplied
A decision in the case of Czech drug-smuggler Karel Sroubek is imminent, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has indicated.
It is understood the file is back with Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway after it went to Immigration New Zealand from Sroubek's lawyer Paul Wicks QC in Friday.
Wicks had asked for atwo-day extension to respond to Immigration NZ's investigation into Sroubek's residency after receiving it on November 14 for a response.
Today Ardern told reporters said a decision would be coming from Lees-Galloway "very soon" but declined to put a more precise timeframe on it.
Wicks said on Friday he was hopeful of a response from Lees-Galloway within a week.
The National Party has called for Lees-Galloway to be sacked for what they say was an incompetent decision.
The minister decided to cancel Sroubek's deportation liability and grant him residency under his real name despite Sroubek having gang associations and serving a prison term for smuggling MDMA.
He then ordered a review of the decision after a court document noted that Sroubek was twice granted leave to travel to Europe in 2009, which potentially contradicted the reasons why Lees-Galloway granted residency in the first place.
It is understood Sroubek's 2009 travel, under the name Jan Antolik, was not included in the original case file, and part of the reason for granting residency was due to fears for Sroubek's safety if he was deported.
