Disturbing photos have exposed the 'abhorrent' living conditions migrant workers were forced to endure while being severely underpaid.
A NSW business has been fined after running an industrial scale labour hire firm and sending out 475 migrants to regional areas.
The migrants, some of whom were here illegally, were systematically underpaid and forced to live in overcrowded housing, in conditions likened to modern slavery.
Australian Border Force (ABF) officers executed 12 search warrants at properties linked to the business, uncovering evidence of 50 breaches.
The employer, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was fined $540,000.
ABF acting superintendent Mark Paixao described the scenes his officers found when they attended one of the houses where the workers were living.
'ABF officers found these migrant workers living in conditions that can only be described as abhorrent,' he told Nine News.
'In one case, we found up to 25 individuals living in a small three-bedroom home.'
It was found that 25 migrant workers were forced to live in a tiny house
Mr Paixao said the employer was controlling 'every aspect of these workers' lives'.
'It was clear that these workers were being exploited for the profit of an individual,' he said.
'We do not want to see this in our country.'
The employer ran an industrial-sized labour hire firm for the agriculture sector.
Footage of the living conditions showed workers lying on several mattresses scattered on the floor of a filthy room.
The kitchen was squalid, with leftover food on the table in a room with a huge hole in the wall.
Assistant Citizenship Minister Julian Hill described the scale and severity of the unlawful labour-hire syndicate as 'disgusting'.
'This is everyone's business. It drags down wages and conditions. It hurts your average everyday Aussie worker,' he said.
The kitchen area was very dirty, with some questioning why the workers couldn't clean up after themselves as others defended them
'Migrant workers contribute enormously to our communities and economy. They deserve respect, fair treatment and safe working conditions, not abuse.'
Matt Kunkel, from the Migrant Workers Centre, said he wasn't surprised by the case.
He claimed a large number of migrant workers in Australia were being taken advantage of.
'More than half of migrant workers in Australia will experience workplace abuse, and roughly 40 per cent of them report to us that they're being underpaid,' he said.
Some social media users felt the record fine wasn't enough.
'That's a tiny fine for taking advantage of 475 people. Crazy work,' one said.
'The fine was just over $1,000 per employee. Pathetic,' another said.
'Half a million-dollar fine is a joke,' a third added.
'If 500 workers are underpaid $1,000 each, that fine is easily paid off. It should be at least double what they stole and then some jail time.'
Daily Mail contacted the Migrant Workers Centre for further comment.
