“Business fined over $159,000 for exploiting migrant workers”

A Paeroa-based employer has been fined $159,250 after pleading guilty to exploiting two migrant workers, and providing false information to Immigration New Zealand.

Dev Trading Limited, trading as Super Clearance, was also ordered to pay $18,684.72 in wage reparations, and $5000 in emotional harm payments to each worker.

The company’s directors, Chetna Dave and her husband Hitesh Dave, recruited two Indian nationals under the Accredited Employer Work Visa scheme, then subjected them to unlawful working conditions, a statement Tuesday from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), said.

This included up to 14-hour days, seven days a week, including public holidays — all without receiving their lawful entitlements.

A MBIE investigation found over $158,000 in unpaid wages and entitlements. Most of this — $140,000 — was repaid to the victims before sentencing…

The company pleaded guilty to five charges of worker exploitation under employment law, and two charges of providing false or misleading information to Immigration New Zealand.

Perry added: “The callous exploitation of vulnerable migrants and the deliberate provision of false information to INZ is not just unethical, it’s criminal.”…