The Human Rights Commission today welcomed New Zealand's first human trafficking conviction, saying it serves a strong reminder to kiwi businesses that exploiting migrant workers will not go unpunished.

Feroz Ali was found guilty in the Auckland High Court of 15 people trafficking charges and guilty of 15 charges for aiding and abetting a person to unlawfully enter New Zealand for work on Bay of Plenty orchards.

Convicted human trafficker Faroz Ali. Photo: Chris McKeen/Stuff

Equal Employment Commissioner Dr Jackie Blue says the conviction is monumental for victims of human trafficking.

'It is a reminder to New Zealanders that we are not immune to human rights issues, such as human trafficking, and to businesses to ensure they are not party to these sorts of crimes.

'Millions of people around the world are exploited by human traffickers, it's a global human rights issue and we would be naïve to believe it doesn't happen in New Zealand.

'Migrant workers are crucial to our economy and have the same rights as all workers in New Zealand. Businesses have a responsibility to ensure they are respecting the human rights of all their employees – this includes migrant workers.

'Our Government committed to proactively target employers that exploit migrant workers in the NZ Human Rights National Plan of Action and we are pleased to see this has taken place.”

It‘s now crucial for Government to update their ‘National Plan of Action to Prevent People Trafficking', which sets out the government's strategy for responding to the complex crime of human trafficking and protecting victims, says Jackie.

New Zealand is one of the world's most ethnically diverse nations, with more people are coming to live and work in the country than at any other time in recent history.

'It is vital that the rights of those people are protected and that those who exploit those rights know this will not be tolerated here.”

Faroz Ali 46, a New Zealand resident from Fiji, earlier pleaded guilty to charges of exploitation, including failing to pay workers minimum wage or holiday pay, as well as aiding and abetting workers to breach the conditions of their visas.

The jury's trafficking verdict was deemed a historical moment by New Zealand by chief executive of Stand Against Slavery Peter Mihaere.

"It's the right verdict and I think it's a clear warning to potential traffickers that we will not tolerate trafficking here."

​The Jury heard earlier from a Fijian woman who's evidence was that she had to share a room on a Bay of Plenty orchard with three others in the middle of winter, and was given neither blankets nor a mattress.

The Fijians were promised were working visas, wages of $17 per hour, and free accommodation. They were paid little to nothing and were only granted visitors' visas with no provision for work, the court heard.

Crown prosecutor Luke Clancy had told the court that Faroz Ali's wife and sister-in-law ran travel agencies in Suva, Fiji, that recruited illegal workers to be brought to New Zealand and used by either by Ali himself, or his associate.

"This was a chance to come to New Zealand, work, earn money, and take that money back to Fiji for their family and their friends," says Luke.

In return the agencies charged takers hundreds, sometimes thousands, of dollars, says Luke.