Four arrested in Caspe for trafficking seasonal workers and sexual assault
The Civil Guard has arrested four men accused of exploiting dozens of agricultural workers and committing sexual abuse against nine women in Zaragoza.
Four arrested in Caspe for trafficking seasonal workers and sexual assault
Civil Guard officers have arrested four individuals in Caspe (Zaragoza) as alleged perpetrators of a network dedicated to the labour exploitation of agricultural workers. The investigation has revealed that the organisation subjected more than fifty people to abusive working conditions, according to details provided by ABC.
The operation, dubbed 'Namaskar', began in February following the filing of several complaints by agricultural workers. These individuals reported suffering from extended working hours, lack of contracts and incomplete wages.
The detainees, all of Pakistani origin and aged between 23 and 41, distributed work in a hierarchical manner. The alleged leader coordinated tasks on the farms, transport, accommodation and paperwork processing. Another of them recruited future employees, whilst the remaining two were responsible for transporting workers in vehicles.
On 10 June, officers raided the leader's residence in Caspe. During the search, numerous documents and technological devices containing information of interest to the investigation were seized.
In addition to trafficking for labour exploitation and membership of a criminal group, the leader is also accused of coercion, intimidation and falsification of documents.
In parallel, investigators have discovered that two of the detainees allegedly committed sexual assaults against nine female workers. The alleged abuse took place through impositions of a sexual nature under pressure, taking advantage of the victims' labour dependence and their precarious situation. The incidents occurred in places and at times where there were no potential witnesses.
Source: ABC