Sniffing out crime
Nine new detector dog handlers and their dogs are joining crime-fighting efforts and border security in both Aotearoa and into the Pacific. They have recently graduated from the Dog Training Centre at Trentham. The dogs can sniff out not only drugs and banned goods, but also firearms, explosives and cash. Chief Customs Officer for the Pacific Detector Dog Programme, Dave Huff, tells Jesse all about it.
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RNZ News
25 minutes ago
- RNZ News
Influencer not disqualified from Vanuatu 'golden passport' due to no conviction
Andrew Tate on the "Anything Goes With James English" Podcast in 2021. Photo: Anything Goes With James English, CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons A Pacific editor for the newsroom that found online influencer Andrew Tate has Vanuatu citizenship says Tate was not disqualified from getting the "golden passport" because he has not been convicted. Tate, a self-described misogynist, faces charges of rape and human trafficking in both the United Kingdom and Romania. The Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) found Tate was granted citizenship in December 2022. Dan McGarry, an editor with OCCRP, said the passport was issued about 15 days after Tate was detained in Romania. Tate bought into the "golden passport" scheme, formally known as citizenship by investment, where applicants can be granted Vanuatu citizenship for a minimum investment of $US130,000. McGarry said the citizenship commissioner - who has been newly appointed in the role - was surprised to find out who Tate was. "He expressed regret, but at the same time, he said that once a submission has been made, once the application is put to the commission, nothing short of a criminal conviction or false representation on the application itself is sufficient to stop the process," McGarry said. He said despite the charges, because Tate has not been convicted, "none of that is disqualifying". "I think if it comes out that there's a conviction that arises, it's possible that his citizenship may be revoked as a result." Vanuatu passport Photo: Andrew Gray McGarry said there are several reasons why people want a Vanuatu passport, including not for nefarious reasons. "There is a fairly legitimate argument to be made for citizens of repressive regimes whose travel is restricted by their local authorities." But for Tate, Vanuatu citizenship could have seemed appealing because there's no extradition treaty between Vanuatu and Romania. "[Tate's] on the record saying that he has multiple passports and that he prefers to live in places where he can effectively buy his way out of any problem that he's facing. "However, he's now facing criminal charges in the UK as well. That was just confirmed last week and there is a very long-standing extradition agreement between the UK and Vanuatu, so I'm not sure the passport is going to do what he thought it would do originally." Citizenship by investment started in 1984 in the Caribbean, with Vanuatu launching its own scheme in 2017. "It structured it in such a way that it was very easy for people outside of Vanuatu to insert themselves into the process by acting as sub agents, effectively selling citizenship and that made it very lucrative," McGarry said. Until 2024, Vanuatu citizens had visa-free access to the Schengen area in the EU. "It made the Vanuatu passport very, very attractive, and the price was somewhat better than some of the earlier programs," McGarry said. He said citizenship by investment programmes at one point were the single largest source of government revenue in Vanuatu. "You can imagine how attractive that made it to politicians who had always been very financially limited in terms of delivering programmes for people domestically. "It's been very, very hard for the government to walk away from it, because there's just so much money to be made." The Vanuatu Citizenship Commission chairman, Charles Maniel, has told the Vanuatu Daily Post it can't carry out any revocation until allegations are proven by a court of law .
RNZ News
5 hours ago
- RNZ News
Fuel tank left open caused large diesel spill at Christchurch prison
About 16,000 litres of diesel flowed out of the tank at Christchurch Men's Prison, and only about 2000 litres were able to be recovered. File photo. Photo: Luke McPake / The Wireless About 14,000 litres of diesel has leached into the ground at Christchurch Men's Prison, after the hatch of a fuel tank was left open. The mistake, first reported by RNZ on 6 June , has potentially affected the water supply of neighbouring properties Corrections custodial services commissioner Leigh Marsh said the overflow was identified on 25 May, when diesel was found in cable pits and underground infrastructure, but there was no evidence it had seeped into the ground at that time. Contractors had been investigating an issue with diesel heating and a backup system in a block at Christchurch Men's Prison. "Both Christchurch Men's and Christchurch Women's prison run off bore water, so we were very concerned if it was to go to soil that that water would be impacted so we immediately started testing, and there was no evidence to say immediately that that had gone to ground," he said. WorkSafe, Fire and Emergency and Canterbury Regional Council were notified. Daily testing of the prison bore water supply and surrounding soil began on 26 May and was extended to a 200-metre radius outside the prison perimeter two days later. The samples remained clear until 6 June, when a sample taken from a bore on 28 May from 200 metres outside the prison perimeter came back positive for dissolved hydrocarbon, while the other samples remained clear. Corrections then visited 40 properties south east of the prison and advised eight to stop using water from their private bores for drinking, cooking or feeding stock or animals and use water from other sources until the potential contamination was addressed. It remained safe for showering and washing. Marsh said the majority of properties visited were vacant or were using the town water supply, not bore water. If a property had not been visited by Corrections, or had a letter left in their absence, they were able to continue using their bore water, he said. No diesel had been detected in the bores which supplied the prison, or in the stock water in the prison farms and there was no impact on prison operations, Marsh said. There are two 20,000 litre fuel tanks at Christchurch Mens Prison, which hold the majority of its diesel, and a 1000-litre local tank which powers the heating of most of its buildings. The large tanks were being replaced by Downer, with a temporary fuel tank installed while the work was carried out. "It looks like that installation hasn't gone as planned and as a result, the diesel has gone from the big tank into the smaller tank, which feeds some of the prison systems. "The large tank was able to continuously feed into the small one and it appears that an inspection hatch on the top of the smaller tank hadn't been attached properly." Marsh said about 16,000 litres of diesel had flowed out of the tank, and only about 2000 litres were able to be recovered. On 30 May, it was found diesel might have soaked into the ground through a crack in the floor of a switch room. "It appeared that some of the diesel had gone into the ground at that point but our water testing continued to show that it was clear," he said. Marsh said advice from the Canterbury Regional Council, Fire and Emergency and other scientific advisors was the diesel spill had not gone beyond that building, but as a precaution it began taking soil samples from a wider area, predominantly focused on where geologists said water would potentially flow underground. The incident was being investigated and the exact cause was not yet known, but it appeared to be related to the installation and change over to a new fuel tank, he said. Both tanks had since been lifted and checked for leaks, but the programme to replace the tanks had been stopped while the investigation was carried out. A Downer spokesperson said it took immediate action following the diesel spill to determine the cause of the incident and to maintain site safety. "We will continue to work closely with the New Zealand Department of Corrections, along with all relevant local stakeholders and regulatory authorities to manage the response, undertake thorough testing, and determine next steps." Marsh said Corrections was focused on tracking any contamination and ensuring residents had the appropriate information if it appeared in their bores. Advice it received from geologists and scientists was a layer of clay under the soil in the region would limit the spread of the fuel. "It won't pass through the clay, so it's not going to hit down to the aquifer, but it's how much it moves along above that into what is quite a granitey, gravelly soil from the clay up." The regional council said Corrections was leading the response to the diesel spill with its support and that of Health New Zealand. General manager of regulatory implementation Paul Hulse said monitoring work was ongoing to understand what, if any, impact there might be from diesel entering the groundwater. "As a precaution, on Friday 6 June Department of Corrections notified residents downgradient of the site with advice from Health New Zealand to not use water from their private bore for domestic use," he said. Of the 40 properties visited, some were vacant and some were on town supply so were not affected. Affected households should discontinue using their private supply for irrigation and stock use, he said. Residents would be kept informed, including when they could resume use of their private bore. WorkSafe said it was making enquiries to understand the circumstances of the incident. Taumata Arowai did not respond to RNZ's request for comment. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
5 hours ago
- RNZ News
Second Northland Two by Twos member charged with sex offences to stand trial next year
The 80-year-old faces 12 charges of indecent assault, two of performing an indecent act, and one each of sodomy and bestiality. Photo: RNZ / Nate McKinnon A second Northland man linked to a secretive sect known as the Two by Twos will stand trial for sex offences in November next year, in Whangārei. The 80-year-old faces 12 charges of indecent assault, two of performing an indecent act, and one each of sodomy and bestiality. The four complainants were boys aged between 12 and 16 when the alleged incidents occurred in the 1970s and 80s. A hearing to determine if the man can be named will be held at Whangārei District Court, in August. In December, Kerikeri man Bill Easton, a former minister in the sect, was sentenced to 13 years' jail after pleading guilty to sex offences against boys . A hallmark of the Christian sect, which has no official name but is known as The Truth or the Two by Twos, is that its itinerant ministers travel in pairs and stay in members' homes. It is believed to have about 2500 members and 60 ministers in New Zealand. The group is also under investigation by the FBI for alleged historical child sexual abuse - last month, police confirmed 29 New Zealand-based people were identified as potential complainants through the US agency's probe . Police said offenders had been convicted in two of those cases. They would not say whether the alleged abuse was recent or historic, or where in New Zealand it was said to have happened. "Police have commenced several investigations as a result," a spokesperson said. This week, police said the investigation remains ongoing, and there are no further updates. "These investigations can often take some time, and as such, we are not anticipating any updates in the next couple of months." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
