A lawyer has been convicted of knowingly providing false and misleading information to Immigration New Zealand during the country's first successful prosecution for human trafficking.
In 2014, Mohammed Idris Hanif provided legal services to Faroz Ali who was found guilty of human trafficking in 2016. It was the first conviction for the crime in New Zealand's history.
The fraudulent information enabled Fijian workers Ali had trafficked into New Zealand to remain in the country and be further exploited as a labour source in his gib fixing business.
Hanif gave false and misleading information to Immigration New Zealand (INZ) on the visitor visa applications submitted on behalf of the victims.
Evidence presented during a four-day trial in the Manukau District Court showed Hanif knew the reason for the Fijian victims to remain in the country was to work for Ali, INZ said in a statement.
![Faroz Ali during his trial for human trafficking charges at the High Court at Auckland. Photo / Pool](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/PJ5V2TDRXTYBPUZDD463A6KWOY.jpg?auth=920fd0837cb15e44f46b70c47a566a77df8e7149deaa3051df27eb2ad65b8046&width=16&height=10&quality=70&smart=true)