Local Police executed a search warrant on behalf of Immigration New Zealand at a Waipukurau address this morning.
Immigration New Zealand’s General Manager – Verification and Compliance, Stephen Vaughan, said the warrant was part of an “investigation involving allegations of migrant exploitation”.
To protect the integrity of the investigation, Mr Vaughan said INZ “would not be identifying the victims or complainants, any evidence obtained or commenting on the specific nature of the exploitation allegations”.
He said combating the exploitation of temporary migrant workers is a priority for INZ and allegations of such offending are taken very seriously.
Anyone who thinks they or someone else is being exploited in the workplace, is encouraged to contact Immigration New Zealand’s service centre where concerns will be handled in “a safe manner”.
•To report a case of migrant exploitation, contact the MBIE exploitation reporting line 0800 200 088 or the MBIE contact centre 0800 20 90 20.
•For cases of people trafficking, call the local police or 111 (if it is an emergency).
•To report an issue anonymously, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or via an online Crimestoppers form.
