Police question man behind alleged visa scam

The man behind an alleged scam that charged people hundreds of dollars for "passport stamps" is being questioned by police today.

Gerard Otimi has not been arrested, but was being spoken to about the stamps, a police spokeswoman told NZPA.

The Immigration Advisers Authority said today they were also investigating whether Mr Otimi was giving immigration advice without a licence.

Mr Otimi had been under investigation by police for allegedly selling fake passports and visas to overstayers from the Pacific Islands .

The authority said if evidence was found by police that Mr Otimi was giving immigration advice without being a licensed adviser, he could be prosecuted.

"If there is evidence, we'll certainly be taking a good hard look at it," authority registrar Barry Smedts said.

The authority was set up this year to stop rogue operators giving out incorrect immigration advice.

All immigration advisers now need to be issued a licence to operate by the authority; those without one could be fined up to $100,000 and/or imprisoned for seven years.

"Otimi's passport activities appear to be in breach of the Immigration Advisers Licensing Act. We are cooperating with the police who are leading the investigation."

Licensed advisers were required to meet competency standards, participate in continuing professional development programmes and comply with a code of conduct.

Mr Otimi has admitted taking $500 from 50 people for the documents - and in return he gave them $500 of "Maori barter currency" to cancel out the fee.

"The documents are to notarise them, and the Immigration Department, to say they are now under our care," he said last week.

Mr Otimi last week agreed it was "exactly right" that the documents had no status at all with the immigration authorities.

The scam has been slammed as "disgusting" by politicians.

Maori Affairs Minister Pita Sharples said the fake passports and visas carried a crown crest as well as the organisers' own flag and crest.

"I really, really feel for the Pacific Island people who have been duped in this way," he said.

Pacific Island Affairs Minister Georgina te Heuheu urged victims to go to the police.

"It's deplorable that anyone would do this to some of the most vulnerable people in our country," she said.

Some Pacific Island people apparently believed the documents give them legal rights to stay in New Zealand, or at least carried some weight with immigration authorities.

- NZPA