Agents of the National Police have released 13 victims of labor exploitation and have arrested eight leaders of an organization dedicated to “human trafficking” in Seville (seven) and in Cádiz (one).
The victims, mostly women, of Colombian nationality, were forced to work caring for the elderly 24 hours a day, as interns and without any relief, as reported by the National Police in a note.
The organization threatened their families in Colombia if they did not periodically pay the debt incurred, forcing some of them to leave their homes and change countries.
Three searches have been carried out at homes in the city of Seville and an inspection at a restaurant in the town of Zahora (Cádiz).
24 hour daily jobs
The police action began when they became aware of the existence of several victims of human trafficking in the city of Seville, who were exploited by caring for elderly people 24 hours a day.
The agents’ investigations led to the discovery of a criminal organization led by a family of Colombian nationality that was exploiting citizens of the same nationality in the workplace.
The criminal network recruited the victims in their country of origin, Colombia, taking advantage of their situation of extreme need and offering them care work for dependent people.
The victims were transported from their country of origin by plane, with the group taking charge of the travel costs and signing an acknowledgment of debt of a different amount for each one, which they would later have to pay.
They entered Spain posing as tourists and the organization provided them with the money necessary to prove their livelihood and a return ticket that was canceled upon arrival by the organization.
Once in Madrid they were transferred by train to the city of Seville and from there they were distributed to different places in the province where they were housed and exploited, which allowed them to control them at all times.
They worked caring for dependent people for 24 hours, as interns and without relief, since they required constant attention.
Commissions and debts
In some cases, victims were pressured to pay debts due to an unjustified delay in obtaining work.
For this reason, the members of the organization suggested that they engage in prostitution in order to pay the debt quickly, according to the note.
Furthermore, according to the National Police, the organization charged them a commission for finding work that was added to the debt already incurred for the transfer.
The network threatened their families in Colombia if they did not periodically pay the debt incurred, forcing some of them to leave their homes and change countries.
During the investigation, three entries and searches were carried out in the city of Seville and an inspection of a restaurant in the town of Zahora (Cádiz). Eight high-end mobile phones, 4,000 euros in cash and abundant documentation related to the investigation have been seized.
The operation culminates with the release of 13 victims of labor exploitation in the city of Seville and the arrest of eight people, among whom are the leaders of the organization under investigation, in Seville (7) and in Cádiz (1), by the crimes of belonging to a criminal organization, trafficking in human beings for labor exploitation, and against the rights of foreign citizens.
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