On April 11, the Civil Guard uncovered a criminal organization in the province of Castellón que explotaba laboralmente a decenas de migrantes, obligándoles a vivir hacinados en zulos.
After an investigation that went on for months, and that was carried out in coordination with the Provincial Labour and Social Security Inspectorate of Castellón as well as with the Deputy Prosecutor for Human Trafficking of the Provincial Prosecutor's Office of Castellón, the agents obtained release 80 people (77 men and three women, aged between 20 and 35), who were living in conditions of work and life close to semi-slavery.
Seven people were arrested for crimes of trafficking in human beings and against the rights of workers. The arrested captured the victims in foreign countries with false job offers that they disseminated through social or messaging networks, promising good working conditions, decent wages and accommodation.
By accepting the offer, the migrants were transferred to Spain, on trips organized by the criminal network itself and that generated, even before arriving, a debt that they could not face. Once here they were housed in conditions of extreme overcrowding and forced to work on agricultural collection tasks in long days without rest that could reach 12 or 13 hours a day. Neither did they receive any salary or it was merely symbolic, since the criminal organization deducted from the same alleged expenses of lodging or maintenance.
Most of the Victims were men of Nepalese, Pakistani, Senegalese or Arab origin.. They had no type of contract and were in a situation of irregularity in Spain, which increased their vulnerability. The detainees threatened and coerced them, preventing any escape.
The investigation uncovered one hierarchical criminal organization It operated on several levels. The main beneficiaries were a marriage of Pakistani origin. The use of companies and legal structures to give an appearance of legality to part of the activity has also been detected.
They operated mainly in the regions of Plana Baixa and L’alt Palancia de Castellón, in addition to the regions of Camp de Morvedre, Camp de Turia and L’Horta Nord in Valencia. The main settlement was in the town of Nules, municipality of about 14,000 inhabitants, in Castellón.
