Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Work smarter with a Pro licence Learn More

Gordon Campbell | Parliament TV | Parliament Today | News Video | Crime | Employers | Housing | Immigration | Legal | Local Govt. | Maori | Welfare | Unions | Youth | Search

 

People trafficking charges

People trafficking charges

People trafficking charges have been brought by Immigration New Zealand (INZ) against a Bangladeshi couple who are New Zealand citizens.

The defendants appeared today in the Auckland District Court and were remanded on bail until 11 December. The defendants and victims have all been granted interim name suppression.

They have been jointly charged under the Crimes Act 1961 for arranging by deception the entry of two Bangladeshi nationals into New Zealand. Trafficking in persons is punishable under the Crimes Act with imprisonment for up to 20 years, a fine of $500,000 or both.

An additional 28 charges have been laid against one of the defendants relating to the exploitation of five workers on temporary entry visas, the provision of false and misleading information to an immigration officer, aiding and abetting to breach visa conditions, and attempting to pervert the course of justice.
The other defendant faces a further 11 charges relating to the exploitation of five workers on temporary entry visas, the provision of false and misleading information to an immigration officer and aiding and abetting to breach visa conditions.

The maximum penalty on the exploitation, false and misleading information and aiding and abetting charges is seven years’ imprisonment and / or a fine not exceeding $100,000.The maximum penalty for attempting to perverse the course of justice is seven years’ imprisonment.

As the matter is now before the courts INZ is unable to provide any further comment.

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

Are you getting our free newsletter?

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.

Notes to editors
• The first people trafficking charges in New Zealand were brought by INZ in August 2015. Two men were charged for arranging by deception the entry of Indian nationals into New Zealand. They were both found not guilty of the trafficking charges, but one was convicted on other charges. A third person was found guilty of other charges at the same trial but did not face the trafficking charges.

• The first person to be convicted of people trafficking was sentenced in December 2016 to a total of nine years and six months in jail and ordered to pay a total of $28,167 reparation to his victims. Faroz Ali, also known as Feroz Ali, a Fijian national with New Zealand residence, was convicted of 15 human trafficking charges in a scam that enticed and exploited Fijians to work in New Zealand. He was also found guilty of 15 charges of aiding and abetting a person to unlawfully enter New Zealand and one charge of aiding and abetting a person to remain unlawfully in New Zealand. Ali had earlier pleaded guilty to 26 charges of helping people breach their visa conditions and exploiting them by not paying them the minimum wage and holiday pay.

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines



Gordon Campbell: On Dune 2, And Images Of Islam


Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture tends to be hostile to Islam when we’re sitting in the dark, with popcorn.
Any number of movie examples come to mind, beginning with Rudolf Valentino’s role (over a century ago) as the romantic Arab hero in The Sheik...
More


 
 


Government: One-stop Shop Major Projects On The Fast Track

The Coalition Government’s new one-stop-shop fast track consenting regime for regional and national projects of significance will cut red tape and make it easier for New Zealand to build the infrastructure and major projects needed to get the country moving again... More

ALSO:


Government: GPS 2024: Over $20 Billion To Get Transport Back On Track
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has released the draft Government Policy Statement (GPS) on Land Transport, outlining the Coalition Government’s plan to build and maintain a transport system that enables people to get to where they need to go quickly and safely... More

ALSO:

Government: Humanitarian Support For Gaza & West Bank

Winston Peters has announced NZ is providing a further $5M to respond to the extreme humanitarian need in Gaza and the West Bank. “The impact of the Israel-Hamas conflict on civilians is absolutely appalling," he said... More


Government: New High Court Judge Appointed

Judith Collins has announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister Jason Scott McHerron as a High Court Judge. Justice McHerron graduated from the University of Otago with a BA in English Literature in 1994 and an LLB in 1996... More

 
 
 
 
 
 

LATEST HEADLINES

  • PARLIAMENT
  • POLITICS
  • REGIONAL
 
 

InfoPages News Channels


 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.