NZ excludes more than 4500

WELLINGTON: More than 4500 people were denied entry to New Zealand last year, Immigration New Zealand says.

In its latest annual report, INZ said it screened millions of nonNew Zealand citizens who were intending to travel here.

But 3378 people were prevented from even boarding their plane to New Zealand.

More than half did not have a visa and just over 900 did not meet entry requirements.

There were 400 people who were subject to alerts, 200 who did not have a valid travel document and 100 who had false passports or there were concerns about their identity.

Another 1201 people were denied entry to New Zealand at the border.

Among those denied entry was an Estonian woman who claimed she was coming to New Zealand from London on holiday.

INZ said that on her arrival in Auckland, the routine risk targeting programme identified she had previously been in New Zealand on a working holiday visa.

Customs searched her luggage and discovered a large quantity of lingerie and leather outfits.

Immigration then found an advertisement on a New Zealand website for the traveller revealing she offered companionship and sexual services.

During an interview, the woman revealed she had been deported and excluded from Australia for three years.

INZ said while providing commercial sexual services was not unlawful in New Zealand, it was unlawful to do so on a temporary visa.

The woman was refused entry and departed on the next available flight.

In another case, INZ received credible information that an Australian man travelling to Queenstown was an active patched member of the Mongols, an outlawed motorcycle gang.

The man was travelling with other family members.

Although the man claimed he had left the gang two years ago due to family commitments, INZ concluded that he was, or was likely to be, a threat or risk to public order and refused him entry to New Zealand.

INZ worked closely with police, who placed the man in custody, and he left Queenstown on the next available flight. — RNZ