Torremolinos businessman arrested for exploiting irregular migrant workers
The National Police investigation suggests he forced the victims to work 70-hour weeks, fined them for going to the toilet and paid below the minimum wage
Long working hours of up to 70 hours a week, with no overtime pay, no regulated holidays or public holidays and a salary of barely 900 euros, of which 250 euros was deducted for renting an office that was used as accommodation. These were the conditions applied to his staff by a 63-year-old businessman in charge of a wholesale supermarket in Torremolinos, who has been arrested by the National Police. This was the result of an investigation by the police in which officers attached to the unit against immigration networks and document fraud (UCRIF), with the collaboration of the labour inspectorate, took part.
Camera control
The detainee is accused of the offences of labour exploitation of migrants in an irregular situation in the country for allegedly taking advantage of the vulnerable situation of the victims. These people were even monitored with video-surveillance cameras and punished with fines of around 50 euros for going to the toilet more frequently than he considered appropriate, or for being a few minutes late at the start of the working day.
He also allegedly forced them to go to work, even when ill, and made them live in degrading conditions in the offices of the warehouse where they were being exploited, according to the police.
The "accommodation" was nothing more than a room with mattresses on the floor and sheets that served as a separator between all those who shared the space, without the minimum conditions of sanitation and privacy.
According to the police report, these personnel carried out their work without being equipped with optimum safety equipment: for example, some of them used a forklift on a daily basis without being trained to do so and without basic safety equipment such as boots and helmets.
Investigations led to the arrest of the owner of a food and drugstore business, already inspected in 2023, for labour exploitation
The investigations began last October, after the National Police became aware of clues that indicated that a business dedicated to the sale of food, beverages and drugstore products, as well as home delivery, was exploiting South American migrants in an irregular situation. This business had already been inspected in 2023 for the same reasons and with a positive result, as at that time four workers without work permits and in an irregular situation were found.
With this new operation, a staff of 12 employees has been identified, half of whom were in an irregular situation in the country.
Once all the information had been gathered, officers of UCRIF from Torremolinos-Benalmádena arrested the person under investigation for a crime against workers' rights. The case is now before the investigating court in Torremolinos.
