OIA22-0624 
 
30 August 2022 
 
Felix Lee 
 
[FYI request #19963 email] 
 
Dear Felix Lee 
 
Thank you for your email of 22 July 2022 requesting information relating to a woman being 
refused entry to New Zealand after trying to smuggle in lemons. Your request has been 
considered under the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA).  
 
You requested the following:  
 
In 2016 there was a woman who was refused entry to NZ after trying to smuggle in 
lemons.  
 
Source: www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/woman‐caught‐trying‐to‐smuggle‐in‐ 
lemons/5ECHODPLYXTB4OASFDUSDVQSSM/   
 
 I would like to request the files related to this incident.   
 
The Link you provided did not bring up the article, however we have interpreted your request 
to be about the incident discussed in the following article:  
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/woman-caught-trying-to-smuggle-in-
lemons/5ECHODPLYXTB4OASFDUSDVQSSM/. 
 
MPI cannot find any files related to this incident, therefore your request is declined pursuant 
to section 18(e) of the OIA - that the document alleged to contain the information, despite 
reasonable efforts to locate it, cannot be found. 
 
MPI has several options in dealing with passengers attempting to smuggle risk items into 
New Zealand through air travel. One of those is to refer the passenger back to the 
Immigration line, where they are re-assessed by an Immigration Officer as to their suitability 
to enter New Zealand. This occurred in this case and the passenger was refused entry.  
 
Should you have any concerns with this response, I would encourage you to raise these with 
the Ministry for Primary Industries at [email address]. Alternatively, you 
are advised of your right to also raise any concerns with the Office of the Ombudsman. 
Contact details are: Office of the Ombudsman, PO Box 10152, Wellington 6143 or at 
[email address]. 
 
Yours sincerely 
 
 
 
Sharon Tohovaka 
Acting Northern Regional Commissioner 
Charles Fergusson Building, 34-38 Bowen Street 
PO Box 2526 
Wellington 6140, New Zealand 
mpi.govt.nz 

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