Two businessmen arrested for exploiting their employees with 19-hour shifts

Agents of the National Police have arrested a 44-year-old Colombian man and a 20-year-old son as alleged perpetrators of a crime against the rights of workers, also foreigners, a spokesperson for the Higher Police Headquarters of Colombia has informed Europa Press.

Oliver Thansan
Oliver Thansan
11 March 2024 Monday 17:10
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Two businessmen arrested for exploiting their employees with 19-hour shifts

Agents of the National Police have arrested a 44-year-old Colombian man and a 20-year-old son as alleged perpetrators of a crime against the rights of workers, also foreigners, a spokesperson for the Higher Police Headquarters of Colombia has informed Europa Press. Madrid.

The investigation began last January when the agents became aware of a possible case of human trafficking that was occurring from a company dedicated to the distribution of parcels and logistics in the town of Alcalá de Henares.

Continuing with the investigations, the agents found that the businessmen, a father and a son, promised a job with a salary of 1,600 euros to bring day laborers from Colombia.

Once in national territory, the salary was much lower than promised and the working hours extended from five in the morning until midnight in the event of possible incidents and to receive merchandise at dawn.

Furthermore, they took advantage of the fact that these people were irregularly in Spain to threaten to report them. They lived in poor hygienic and sanitary conditions and did not have electrical outlets.

On January 10, the Police carried out a police and labor inspection at the warehouse involved and found five people working in an irregular situation. Most of the exploited citizens were Colombians, but there were also some Hondurans.

The agents discovered that they slept separated by cardboard or inside the refrigerated box of a truck, in inhumane conditions and without light and that they also had to always be available for possible incidents or to receive merchandise.

At the end of January, a second inspection was carried out in the Madrid town of Alcalá de Henares where three more workers were found in an irregular situation and the two businessmen responsible for the business were arrested as alleged perpetrators of a crime against workers' rights. workers.