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Desperate Afghans fleeing the Taliban during the fall of Kabul were allegedly targeted by two men in New Zealand who sought thousands of dollars in payment for evacuation services that were provided for free by the government.

The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) charged two Hamilton men who were arrested yesterday and appeared at Hamilton District Court.

Both men have interim name suppression and have been released on bail to come back before the courts on July 13.

It’s alleged that the pair’s offending began shortly after the fall of Kabul on August 15, 2021 and withdrawal of US and NATO forces.

The Taliban took the capital unopposed, without a shot fired, a week later to claim power.

New Zealand Defence Force personnel at the Kabul International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan. Photo / NZDF

It sparked frenzied scenes of desperate Afghans trying to flee the country, with some seen clutching to the sides of planes. Two suicide bombers at the city’s international airport killed at least 170 civilians along with 13 US troops.

The SFO alleges the first defendant, who had close ties to the Afghan community and was familiar with the evacuation process, conspired with the second defendant to contact eligible people in Afghanistan and offer to organise their travel to New Zealand in exchange for payment.

The SFO alleges that both defendants knew there was no charge for the service yet sought more than $450,000 in total from evacuees trying to flee Afghanistan.

Immigration New Zealand and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade established a team to assist with the evacuation of eligible Afghan nationals from Afghanistan, including covering VISA, transport and MIQ costs.

The SFO has charged the first defendant with conspiracy to obtain by deception, obtaining by deception, using a forged document, attempting to pervert the course of justice and obstructing an SFO investigation.

The second defendant faces a charge of conspiracy to obtain by deception.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Nania Mahuta earlier said that, at its peak, 171 staff were assigned to support the government’s response to the Afghanistan crisis.

By August 22 2021, around 3000 inquiries from Afghan nationals seeking resettlement had been received – but three days later, that number had jumped to more than 8000.

More than 1500 Afghans nationals ended up in New Zealand on emergency or temporary visas as part of the New Zealand Government’s emergency evacuation of a total of 1729 people, including some Kiwi citizens.