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Missing 'pilgrims' blame travel agent
Three of the 39 Indians, who disappeared in New Zealand en route to attend the Catholic Church's week-long World Youth Day festivities in Sydney, on Thursday told immigration officers about a travel agent who duped them.
- IANS
- Published: 00:06 July 18, 2008
Sydney: Three of the 39 Indians, who disappeared in New Zealand en route to attend the Catholic Church's week-long World Youth Day festivities in Sydney, on Thursday told immigration officers about a travel agent who duped them.
New Zealand Sikh Society spokesman Daljit Singh, who has been liaising with some of the missing Indians, most of who are from Punjab, said that the trio met with immigration officials to reveal all about the travel agent who took Rs500,000 (Dh42,865) each from the 39 Indians, wrongly promising them permanent residency visas for New Zealand.
The 39, masqueraded as Catholics while some are Muslims and Hindus, were billeted with Catholic families in Auckland on their way to the celebrations in Sydney.
New Zealand Federation of Ethnic Councils' president Pancha Narayanan said that some Bollywood movies are portraying New Zealand as an easy destination to migrate, thus giving a wrong impression.
However, the Department of Labour, which is in charge of immigration, has rejected that New Zealand is a soft target for immigration scams.
Immigration Service head Andrew Annakin said that New Zealand has advanced levels of security and is vigilant about trafficking.
See also Page 18
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