A couple of Bangladeshi origin was jailed by a New Zealand court on Friday for exploiting migrant workers at their sweetshop in Auckland.
Mohammed Atiqul Islam and Nafisa Ahmed, both New Zealand citizens, forced their workers to work long hours. In one case, they did not allow a worker to take a day off in 14 months.
Atiqul and Nafisa were charged with human trafficking, exploitation of temporary workers, and other immigration-related charges, reports the New Zealand Herald.
The Auckland District Court jailed the man for four years and five months, and the woman for two years and six months, according to stuff.co.nz.
The court was told that the couple seized the workers’ passports and paid them $6 an hour or less.
Charges brought against the couple by Immigration New Zealand included deceptively arranging the entry of two Bengali nationals into the country. They were also charged with human trafficking but were later found not guilty.
The offences came to light after two chefs at their sweetshop lodged complaints with the New Zealand authorities.
