Smuggler’s full history not given
Immigration New Zealand may have failed to pass on the full extent of drug smuggler Karel Sroubek criminal background to Immigration Minister Iain LeesGalloway.
On Friday, immigration confirmed the case file used to grant Sroubek residency was hundreds of pages long, with a 12-page summary, and did not include documentation showing the Czech drug smuggler had travelled to Europe in 2009.
It is understood all decisions related to Sroubek’s bail applications and any variations to his bail were not included in the file provided to LeesGalloway, who granted him residency.
Court documents released yesterday show that a senior investigator with immigration applied for a range of files specifically around bail decisions. The application was granted on November 6. The bail decisions hold details about Sroubek travelling back to the Czech Republic.
The decision released yesterday notes that the request was granted in order for immigration to provide the information to the minister ‘‘in relation to the review concerning [his] deportation status’’.
Earlier in November, court documents revealed Sroubek travelled to Europe in 2009. This was despite implications that Sroubek’s safety was at risk if he returned to the Czech Republic.
Lees-Galloway has ordered Immigration New Zealand (INZ) to investigate Sroubek’s residency application to see if he was given the correct information when making his decision. He has maintained the decision was based on all the information presented to him – a decision that was made in less than an hour.
Immigration New Zealand general manager Stephen Dunstan said INZ was unable to comment on the matter while a review of the Karel Sroubek case was being undertaken.