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Immigration New Zealand works with partner agencies in this country and internationally to combat people trafficking.
People trafficking in New Zealand
People trafficking is happening in New Zealand to both migrants and to New Zealanders. People trafficking does not have to involve crossing a border and often happens within a country.
Since 2015 there have been 4 people trafficking prosecutions in New Zealand, with 2 leading to convictions. However, because this crime is often hidden, these cases are likely to represent only a small part of the problem. The New Zealand Police and MBIE investigate and respond to any allegations of people trafficking.
Find out more about how to recognise trafficking, report trafficking and the support available for victims of people trafficking:
Get help for victims of people trafficking
Penalties
People trafficking is a crime under Section 98D of the Crimes Act 1961 and is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, and a fine of up to $500,000, or both.
As well as imprisonment, people traffickers can also have any profits from the trafficking taken away, property used for trafficking confiscated and be made to pay compensation to victims.
People trafficking convictions
In September 2016, a man was found guilty of trafficking 15 people from Fiji to New Zealand, and breaking other Immigration Act 2009 laws. He was sentenced to 9 years and 6 months in prison and ordered to pay $28,000 in compensation to his victims.
A second man was convicted of other immigration offences related to the same case and was sentenced to 1 year home detention and ordered to pay $55,000 in compensation to his victims. In addition to his criminal sentence, his house was confiscated in 2021 as some of the money he used to buy it was obtained through exploiting the victims in this case.
In March 2020, a man was convicted of 8 people trafficking and 13 slavery charges. His offending related to 13 Samoan nationals that he arranged to bring to New Zealand and enslaved between 1994 and 2017. He was sentenced to 11 years’ in prison, including a minimum non-parole period of 6.5 years. He was ordered to pay $215,000 in compensation to his victims.
Final closure in long-running trafficking and slavery case
International cooperation
New Zealand works closely with our international partners to respond to people trafficking and smuggling. This includes working with international counterparts on cross-border people trafficking cases, people trafficking training and participating in international forums.
The Bali Process
The Bali Process on People Smuggling, Trafficking in Persons and Related Transnational Crime (The Bali Process) is a regional forum to support collaboration, dialogue and policy development relating to irregular migration in the in Asia-Pacific.
New Zealand is an active member of the Bali Process, which includes over 45 member states and international organisations who work together to fight people trafficking. New Zealand also co-chairs the Disruption Working Group which is focused on activities and improved co-ordination to disrupt criminal networks involved in people trafficking in the Asia-Pacific region.
