Indian pilgrims could be illegal immigrants

Wellington: New Zealand authorities are hunting for 39 Indians who disappeared after apparently using Sydney's World Youth Day as a cover story for an immigration scam.
Australian officials are working with their New Zealand counterparts amid fears other pilgrims who have travelled to Sydney for the religious celebration might also try to stay in the country.
At least 39 Indians, all men aged 17 to 35, were given visitors' visas for New Zealand after saying they wanted to stop in the country en route to Sydney for the huge gathering of young Catholics.
But only 181 of a group of 220 left Auckland for Sydney, despite all being booked to fly on.
A member of New Zealand's Indian community, who is a justice of the peace, said he'd been in contact with some of the men and they intended to remain in New Zealand.
Some claimed to have paid up to $NZ17,000 ($A13,390) to "agents" in India who organised their visas and told the men they would ultimately be able to remain in New Zealand, Sikh Society spokesman Daljit Singh said.
Immigration Service officials confirmed they were investigating the scam.
"Some of those who are missing absconded from Auckland International Airport on arrival in New Zealand in early July, while others absconded from their billets, all but one leaving their luggage there," a spokesman said.
The men's visitor visas remain valid, so they have not yet committed any crime.
15/07/08 Brisbane Times

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Categories: Foreign Jul 2008