NZ plans law switch on stolen passports

By SCOTT MacLEOD

New Zealand officials are working on a plan to foil criminals using stolen passports in up to 30 nations on the Pacific Rim.

The system involves changing laws within the countries to allow details of stolen passport and travel documents to be sent between them quickly by computer - cutting the time for alerting authorities from weeks to hours.

Officials hope to snare international criminals who use stolen passports for smuggling people and illegal goods across borders.

In New Zealand, the plan will require a law change.

At present, details of missing passports are usually sent between the different foreign affairs departments by what is called a third-party note. The process can take weeks or months.

Stolen New Zealand passports can be used "half a dozen times" during that period, says Foreign Affairs Minister Phil Goff. He said the plan was an important tool for improving international security.

The scheme is being developed by New Zealand, Australia and Japan as part of a series of conferences between 30 nations dealing with people-smuggling and cross-border crime.

In March, the Herald revealed that stolen and forged New Zealand passports were fetching $60,000 on the international black market. About 12,000 are lost or stolen each year.

Police sources have said New Zealand passports are highly prized in the criminal world because they attract little attention from border authorities.

As well as people-smuggling, they are used for drug-smuggling and immigration fraud.

Mr Goff said it took months for records of lost and stolen passports to be recorded in some countries.

The key was to encourage the 30 nations to amend their laws to allow the information to be shared.

Mr Goff said the Passport Act would be amended.

Privacy Commissioner Bruce Slane said he could see no problems.

The Department of Internal Affairs' acting general manager of identity services, Sue Boland, said passport details were already shared "in real time" with Australia.

"We're interested in getting a global system going."