At least a hundred immigrants from countries such as Romania, Moldova, Ukraine, India, Senegal and Pakistan have been victims of agricultural exploitation in Baixo Alentejo, especially in the towns of Cuba and Ferreira do Alentejo in the Beja region. .
According to PJ, the suspects, Portuguese and foreign nationals, are part of a criminal structure dedicated to the exploitation of immigrant citizens who come to Portugal to work on agricultural farms in the Alentejo.
The detainees face serious charges of committing crimes of a criminal community, human trafficking, aiding illegal immigration, obtaining illegal labor, extortion, money laundering, tax fraud, crimes against the integrity of the person, physical violence, possession of firearms and forgery of documents.
At the SP headquarters in Lisbon, Inspector Manuela Santos of the National Counter-Terrorism Unit said that reports of these crimes of exploitation came from people who lived near the sites, and not from the victims themselves, “as they were in a situation of great fragility.”
“People were attracted by the advertising. We’re talking about the sphere [Alentejo] old and lacking human resources,” he explained.
The inspector also reported that the workers earned from 100 to 250 euros a month, although they were promised “800, 900, a thousand or more.”
According to the person in charge, they were explained that the difference was “left” to pay for accommodation, food and transport.
Police operation through the National Counter-Terrorism Unit, it involved 480 militants and took place as part of two investigations carried out by Évora’s DIAP. The Portuguese Air Force and Social Security are cooperating with authorities to assist the victims.
The detainees will attend their first judicial interrogation this Wednesday with a view to subjecting them to any coercive measures deemed appropriate.
The judicial police also carefully screened victims in order to collect evidence that could lead to an increase in the number of suspects. Testimony was given with the help of interpreters.
Author: Antonio Lucio, Joana Mendes This Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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