A group of men accused of human trafficking have pleaded not guilty in NZ’s first human trafficking trial.
Three Indian men charged with human trafficking have pleaded not guilty in New Zealand’s first human trafficking trial.
Facing trial in the Nelson High Courth today, Satnam Singh and Jaswinder Singh Sangha face charges under the Crimes Act of arranging the entry of people into New Zealand by coercion or deception, Stuff.co.nz reported this morning.
The men are accused of providing false information to refugee status officers in Auckland back in 2008 and 2009 and of a variety of offences relating to getting two year work visas for men from the Punjab region of India.
With the help of language interpreters, the men pleaded not guilty to the charges after they were arrested in Mouteka last year.
The trial is expected to take around six weeks, according to Stuff.
Under the crimes act, trafficking in persons can carry a prison sentence of up to 20 years and/ or a fine of $500,000.
