Slave labour allegations have been leveled at an Auckland liquor store boss over his "shocking" treatment of 12 new immigrant workers.
The workers at the centre of the allegations were all new immigrants from India and the Philippines who had traveled to New Zealand on student visas.
Employment law specialist Max Whitehead said they were unpaid for up to a month after their start date at the central Auckland liquor store.
When they complained, their boss forced them to work beyond the 20 hours a week allowed under their Visas, then threatened to tell the authorities about their actions and get them deported, he said.
He claims the workers were made to work for as little as $4 an hour. One alleges the boss threatened to kill him.