Gilroy Business Owner Couple Charged With Human Trafficking, Wage Theft

GILROY (CBS SF) -- A Gilroy couple has been charged with labor human trafficking and several other counts involving multiple victims, including one harbored in the back of a store to sleep on a mattress in unhealthy conditions, authorities said Monday.

The state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control and the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office announced the arrests of Balwinder Singh Mann, 66, and his wife Amarjit Mann, also 66, for charges that also include wage theft, conspiracy, witness intimidation and failing to maintain workers' compensation insurance.

The arrests came after an investigation into the couple's two stores in Gilroy -- M&M Liquors at 7901 Westwood Drive, and Gavilan Market at 8110 Westwood Drive.

The Department of ABC said agents visited both Gilroy locations on multiple occasions to gather evidence during the investigation.