Refugees on fake papers still here

The Government has been unable to deport more than 20 refugees spirited into New Zealand under fake identities by a global people-smuggling ring.

Immigration officials have tried to cancel the refugee status of the asylum-seekers, many of them linked to suspected international criminals, after a two-year police investigation code-named Operation Amid.

The inquiry uncovered an Afghani-Iranian crime syndicate that smuggled hundreds of refugees into the country between 1995 and 2000.

The 7000 documents seized by police also indicated possible national security issues.

The asylum-seekers paid up to $30,000 each for forged papers to get them on a flight to New Zealand, where a complex life including new identities and credit histories were provided by the smuggling ring.

Many destroyed their "low level" forged documents in flight and were granted refugee status on arrival, while others made it through border controls to start a new life.

A Department of Internal Affairs tip to police about possible passport fraud led to Operation Amid, which was executed in 2000.

Search warrants on 20 Auckland homes and businesses uncovered documents that suggested the refugees had lied about their backgrounds.

A parallel police investigation, Operation Beaver, led to Sarwar Rahimi, his wife Lida and her brother Javed Ahmadi being convicted of using documents with intent to defraud in 2002. The trio admitted lying on their refugee applications.

Police did not press charges as a result of Operation Amid but passed the evidence to the Immigration Service, as the documents suggested 121 people obtained their refugee status fraudulently. Insufficient evidence led Immigration officials to allow 98 refugees to stay but went ahead with revoking the refugee status of the remaining 23. Half of those had links to suspected people-smuggling, identity fraud, marriage fraud, fraud, theft and serious assault.

The status of 12 refugees was cancelled - including the Rahimis - but three others overturned that decision through the Refugee Status Appeals Authority. None have been deported as they are exploring legal avenues to prevent residency being revoked.

Further court action has stopped the Government from cancelling the refugee status of 11 others, according to briefing papers to former Immigration Minister Clayton Cosgrove obtained under the Official Information Act.

Lawyer Rodney Hooker, acting for one of the refugees, tried to obtain a permanent injunction to stop the Immigration Service from using the evidence seized in Operation Amid.

He was unsuccessful in the High Court in September 2007 but appealed to the Court of Appeal. It will hear the case next month.

THE NUMBERS

121 refugees that the police suspect of immigration fraud.
98 cases with insufficient evidence.
12 refugee status revoked, 3 successfully appeal.
11 seek injunction so police evidence cannot be used.
0 illegal immigrants deported.