23 people, aged between 20 and 50, have been arrested by the Spanish National Police on suspicion of being part of a scheme that exploited agricultural workers in Torre Pacheco, Murcia. These workers were in an irregular situation, using false documents and stolen identities.
The people arrested came mainly from Ecuador, Senegal, Paraguay, Morocco, Gambia, Burkina Faso and Spain. Among them are four believed to be behind the exploitation of irregular workers, who were falsely portrayed as legal workers in Spain to evade official control, SchengenVisaInfo reports.
The investigation started after a complaint was made by a foreign individual, who stated that he was registered in a company where he never worked.
As Europa Press reports, initial investigations by authorities substantiated the complaint, revealing that several individuals with irregular immigration status had been employed by three companies, assuming the identities of other employees who had residence and work permits.
9 Individuals Arrested for Collusion in Labour Market Access Scheme
The efforts led to identifying and arresting four related individuals responsible for supervising employees and recruiting irregular workers. Thus, they provided these workers with documentation, apparently without the knowledge of the company owners.
Collaborative efforts between law enforcement and labour inspection, including the Provincial Labor and Social Security Inspection of Murcia, led to the apprehension of ten individuals in an irregular immigration situation. These individuals allegedly impersonated other legally licensed workers, engaging in document forgery and identity theft.
In a subsequent operation phase, nine other people were arrested for handing over their documents to gain access to the labour market in collaboration with those responsible for recruiting workers.
Moreover, this investigation has shed light on numerous crimes stemming from such fraudulent activities, causing significant damage to Social Security. Both parties involved benefit, including undocumented workers who have access to the labour market and other social rights, as well as workers who sell or transfer their documentation for financial gain, accumulating contributions without real work, which can affect future rights.
Spanish Police Arrest 22 Suspects in Labour Exploitation Raids
In August 2023, Spanish authorities also cracked down on two criminal groups exploiting foreign workers in agriculture and construction. In Cuenca, 40 workers were found huddled in a warehouse, enduring poor conditions.
Five suspects were arrested, one in Albacete and four in Cuenca. In Malaga, authorities uncovered a network exploiting migrants for construction work. In addition, 17 suspects were arrested in Malaga and one in Madrid. The raids seized 30,000 euros, a luxury car, and phones. Assets worth 95,000 euros, including two houses and 27 vehicles, have been frozen for investigation.
