Latest news with #MinistryofBusiness
Scoop
an hour ago
- Scoop
MBIE Disrupts Organised Crime
Press Release – New Zealand Immigration General Manager Immigration Compliance and Investigations, Steve Watson says these groups had links to criminal syndicates who exploited vulnerable migrants by using them to live in residential properties to set up sophisticated indoor cannabis growing … Immigration Compliance and Investigations, and Risk and Verification teams, have been working to disrupt illegal activity by organised crime groups in New Zealand. General Manager Immigration Compliance and Investigations, Steve Watson says these groups had links to criminal syndicates who exploited vulnerable migrants by using them to live in residential properties to set up sophisticated indoor cannabis growing systems. The three-month operation involved investigating 38 companies to ensure that they were complying with their Immigration and employment obligations. Since the operation began: 14 infringement notices were issued to companies employing staff in a manner that is inconsistent with a work-related condition of that person's visa, with a further two pending 38 deportation liability notices have been issued for people unlawfully in New Zealand or breaching visa conditions, Two people unlawfully in New Zealand voluntarily left the country, 62 visas were cancelled for people who were not currently in the country, and a further eight visas were cancelled at the Border, Eight passengers were offloaded from their flights to New Zealand, 'Disrupting this activity now is key to preventing further harm and vulnerable migrants being exploited by unscrupulous employers,' says Mr Watson. 'As a result of our interactions with these employers, information has also been shared with, and referred to, other areas of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, and partner agencies for further action where other non-compliance or criminal offending was identified.' 'This Operation is an excellent example of cooperation across Government agencies, working together to ensure that the integrity of the Immigration system is upheld and those that do not meet their obligations are held to account.' Many of these migrants were from the Vietnamese community. We will work with the migrants involved with this operation that are still in New Zealand on a case-by-case basis. Where they are breaching their visa conditions, or are here unlawfully, they will be assisted with pathways out of the country. MBIE, Immigration New Zealand and our partner agencies want to ensure migrant communities are kept safe from those employers who would exploit the conditions of their work visas. 'Migrant workers need to be aware of those who may seek to exploit them,' says Mr Watson. 'If you are asked to pay large amounts of money to an offshore agent to travel and work in New Zealand, it is highly likely that this is part of a scam.' Information about employment rights in New Zealand can be found on the Employment New Zealand website, and using Licensed Immigration Advisers on the Immigration Advisers Authority website, in multiple languages. We continue to encourage anyone with information about suspected illegal criminal activity in their community to contact NZ Police on 111 in an emergency, or 105 for non-emergency. Alternatively contact Crime Stoppers anonymously via 0800 555 111. Anyone concerned with possible immigration breaches or exploitation should contact MBIE on 0800 20 90 20.
Scoop
4 hours ago
- Scoop
MBIE Disrupts Organised Crime
Press Release – New Zealand Immigration General Manager Immigration Compliance and Investigations, Steve Watson says these groups had links to criminal syndicates who exploited vulnerable migrants by using them to live in residential properties to set up sophisticated indoor cannabis growing … Immigration Compliance and Investigations, and Risk and Verification teams, have been working to disrupt illegal activity by organised crime groups in New Zealand. General Manager Immigration Compliance and Investigations, Steve Watson says these groups had links to criminal syndicates who exploited vulnerable migrants by using them to live in residential properties to set up sophisticated indoor cannabis growing systems. The three-month operation involved investigating 38 companies to ensure that they were complying with their Immigration and employment obligations. Since the operation began: 14 infringement notices were issued to companies employing staff in a manner that is inconsistent with a work-related condition of that person's visa, with a further two pending 38 deportation liability notices have been issued for people unlawfully in New Zealand or breaching visa conditions, Two people unlawfully in New Zealand voluntarily left the country, 62 visas were cancelled for people who were not currently in the country, and a further eight visas were cancelled at the Border, Eight passengers were offloaded from their flights to New Zealand, 'Disrupting this activity now is key to preventing further harm and vulnerable migrants being exploited by unscrupulous employers,' says Mr Watson. 'As a result of our interactions with these employers, information has also been shared with, and referred to, other areas of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, and partner agencies for further action where other non-compliance or criminal offending was identified.' 'This Operation is an excellent example of cooperation across Government agencies, working together to ensure that the integrity of the Immigration system is upheld and those that do not meet their obligations are held to account.' Many of these migrants were from the Vietnamese community. We will work with the migrants involved with this operation that are still in New Zealand on a case-by-case basis. Where they are breaching their visa conditions, or are here unlawfully, they will be assisted with pathways out of the country. MBIE, Immigration New Zealand and our partner agencies want to ensure migrant communities are kept safe from those employers who would exploit the conditions of their work visas. 'Migrant workers need to be aware of those who may seek to exploit them,' says Mr Watson. 'If you are asked to pay large amounts of money to an offshore agent to travel and work in New Zealand, it is highly likely that this is part of a scam.' Information about employment rights in New Zealand can be found on the Employment New Zealand website, and using Licensed Immigration Advisers on the Immigration Advisers Authority website, in multiple languages. We continue to encourage anyone with information about suspected illegal criminal activity in their community to contact NZ Police on 111 in an emergency, or 105 for non-emergency. Alternatively contact Crime Stoppers anonymously via 0800 555 111. Anyone concerned with possible immigration breaches or exploitation should contact MBIE on 0800 20 90 20.
Scoop
5 hours ago
- Scoop
MBIE Disrupts Organised Crime
Immigration Compliance and Investigations, and Risk and Verification teams, have been working to disrupt illegal activity by organised crime groups in New Zealand. General Manager Immigration Compliance and Investigations, Steve Watson says these groups had links to criminal syndicates who exploited vulnerable migrants by using them to live in residential properties to set up sophisticated indoor cannabis growing systems. The three-month operation involved investigating 38 companies to ensure that they were complying with their Immigration and employment obligations. Since the operation began: 14 infringement notices were issued to companies employing staff in a manner that is inconsistent with a work-related condition of that person's visa, with a further two pending 38 deportation liability notices have been issued for people unlawfully in New Zealand or breaching visa conditions, Two people unlawfully in New Zealand voluntarily left the country, 62 visas were cancelled for people who were not currently in the country, and a further eight visas were cancelled at the Border, Eight passengers were offloaded from their flights to New Zealand, 'Disrupting this activity now is key to preventing further harm and vulnerable migrants being exploited by unscrupulous employers,' says Mr Watson. 'As a result of our interactions with these employers, information has also been shared with, and referred to, other areas of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, and partner agencies for further action where other non-compliance or criminal offending was identified.' 'This Operation is an excellent example of cooperation across Government agencies, working together to ensure that the integrity of the Immigration system is upheld and those that do not meet their obligations are held to account.' Many of these migrants were from the Vietnamese community. We will work with the migrants involved with this operation that are still in New Zealand on a case-by-case basis. Where they are breaching their visa conditions, or are here unlawfully, they will be assisted with pathways out of the country. MBIE, Immigration New Zealand and our partner agencies want to ensure migrant communities are kept safe from those employers who would exploit the conditions of their work visas. 'Migrant workers need to be aware of those who may seek to exploit them,' says Mr Watson. 'If you are asked to pay large amounts of money to an offshore agent to travel and work in New Zealand, it is highly likely that this is part of a scam.' Information about employment rights in New Zealand can be found on the Employment New Zealand website, and using Licensed Immigration Advisers on the Immigration Advisers Authority website, in multiple languages. We continue to encourage anyone with information about suspected illegal criminal activity in their community to contact NZ Police on 111 in an emergency, or 105 for non-emergency. Alternatively contact Crime Stoppers anonymously via 0800 555 111. Anyone concerned with possible immigration breaches or exploitation should contact MBIE on 0800 20 90 20.
Otago Daily Times
27-05-2025
- Otago Daily Times
Flat of horrors 'terrifying' for student
A student who took on a notorious Dunedin landlord is sharing her "traumatising" ordeal over fears others could end up trapped in the same situation. Zoe Eckhoff, 19, and two of her close friends signed a year-long fixed-term lease for a Queen St property, which was set to be their first flat. However, the tenants soured on the property after inspecting it in late January and discovering vegetation choking gutters, black mould and grease in vents and windows, curtains covered with black mould, rubbish strewn throughout the property, borer dust throughout wooden fittings, peeling lead paint in soffits and broken gutters. "It was horrendous, to be honest, there was just random furniture everywhere. "There was pots and pans outside the door, and so much borer as well. "All of the utensils in the drawers were wet, the whole bench was wet — there was mould everywhere, and wallpaper peeling, and all the stuff you don't want to see as a tenant." She said the experience was "traumatising" and "terrifying". In February, the tenants advised the landlord, Man-Oock Holdings, they would be withholding rent and taking her to the Tenancy Tribunal. The tribunal's first ruling found the landlord "turned a blind eye" to many of her responsibilities under the Residential Tenancies Act, but it was also "not open for one party [the tenants] to unilaterally decide to stop paying rent". No suppression was available to the landlord because she was only partly successful, the tribunal ruled. It was only after mediation that Miss Eckhoff and her fellow tenants were able to end the tenancy. A second tribunal ruling followed, saying "as a result of the agreement all costs will lie where they fall, and the previous order of the tribunal cannot be enforced". Miss Eckhoff felt the system was stacked against her. "I think that landlords need to be held way more accountable for the kind of stuff that they get up to. "It just feels like I was set up for failure." The emotional toll had been "wrenching". Last week, Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment tenancy compliance and investigations team conducted visits to 53 Dunedin properties. The majority had some maintenance issues and three properties had "multiple breaches" of the healthy homes legislation. Miss Eckhoff said she was pleased to hear about MBIE's initiative, calling it a start. "I was very happy to hear that, to be honest — thank God someone is doing something about this. "I hate to say cross-examine your landlord, because it feels like something that shouldn't be our duty, but honestly, it's not a bad idea. "I wish that I had, because I probably would have found a lot more and it would have been very helpful." The Otago Daily Times reported in 2019 there had been 21 Tenancy Tribunal cases involving Man-Oock Holdings since 2017. Man-Oock Holdings did not wish to comment.
Otago Daily Times
26-05-2025
- Otago Daily Times
Tenants scarred by flat of horrors
A student who took on a notorious Dunedin landlord is sharing her "traumatising" ordeal over fears others could end up trapped in the same situation. Zoe Eckhoff, 19, and two of her close friends signed a year-long fixed-term lease for a Queen St property, which was set to be their first flat. However, the tenants soured on the property after inspecting it in late January and discovering vegetation choking gutters, black mould and grease in vents and windows, curtains covered with black mould, rubbish strewn throughout the property, borer dust throughout wooden fittings, peeling lead paint in soffits and broken gutters. "It was horrendous, to be honest, there was just random furniture everywhere. "There was pots and pans outside the door, and so much borer as well. "All of the utensils in the drawers were wet, the whole bench was wet — there was mould everywhere, and wallpaper peeling, and all the stuff you don't want to see as a tenant." She said the experience was "traumatising" and "terrifying". In February, the tenants advised the landlord, Man-Oock Holdings, they would be withholding rent and taking her to the Tenancy Tribunal. The tribunal's first ruling found the landlord "turned a blind eye" to many of her responsibilities under the Residential Tenancies Act, but it was also "not open for one party [the tenants] to unilaterally decide to stop paying rent". No suppression was available to the landlord because she was only partly successful, the tribunal ruled. It was only after mediation that Miss Eckhoff and her fellow tenants were able to end the tenancy. A second tribunal ruling followed, saying "as a result of the agreement all costs will lie where they fall, and the previous order of the tribunal cannot be enforced". Miss Eckhoff felt the system was stacked against her. "I think that landlords need to be held way more accountable for the kind of stuff that they get up to. "It just feels like I was set up for failure." The emotional toll had been "wrenching". Last week, Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment tenancy compliance and investigations team conducted visits to 53 Dunedin properties. The majority had some maintenance issues and three properties had "multiple breaches" of the healthy homes legislation. Miss Eckhoff said she was pleased to hear about MBIE's initiative, calling it a start. "I was very happy to hear that, to be honest — thank God someone is doing something about this. "I hate to say cross-examine your landlord, because it feels like something that shouldn't be our duty, but honestly, it's not a bad idea. "I wish that I had, because I probably would have found a lot more and it would have been very helpful." The Otago Daily Times reported in 2019 there had been 21 Tenancy Tribunal cases involving Man-Oock Holdings since 2017. Man-Oock Holdings did not wish to comment.
