Human TraffickingNews

The Spanish National Police dismantles in Vizcaya an organisation dedicated to trafficking in human beings for their labour exploitation

Spanish National Police officers have dismantled in Vizcaya an organization of Pakistani origin dedicated to trafficking in human beings and the labour exploitation of compatriots. The victims – males in their entirety – paid the organization from 8,000 to 10,000 euros for the transfer from Pakistan to Spain through various routes. They were registered in several Biscayan homes, upon payment of 3,000 euros, and were exploited in greengrocers in the same province without a contract or registration in social security. After three years they were offered a legal employment contract in exchange for 8,000 euros to be able to apply for a residence card in Spain. There are seven people detained – six of Pakistani nationality and one of Romanian nationality – and four homes have been registered in Biscay – two in Guernica and two in Bermeo – where 93 have been intervened.

Routes of Entry

The investigation began thanks to citizen collaboration, following the complaint of a person who put the agents on the trail of an organization that illegally introduced Pakistani citizens to Spain who were later subjected to labour exploitation.

The victims, all male, were captured by the organization through “word of mouth” in the city of Vehari (Pakistan). To introduce them into Spain, the criminal network preferably used land routes that involved crossing Europe – on crossings that lasted from one to two months – and therefore they had to pay amounts ranging between 8,000 and 10,000 euros. Other routes used were by sea, from the ports of Libya or Tunisia, and by air, from Dubai.

Once in Spain, Pakistani citizens were registered on two floors, controlled by the organization, in the Biscayan towns of Guernica and Bermeo, for which they had to pay 3,000 euros. In addition, the criminal network had greengrocers in various towns in the province of Vizcaya where the captured citizens were forced to work for long hours under threat, without an employment contract or registration with social security, and in tasks that did not involve dealing with the public to reduce their visibility before possible labour inspections.

An employment contract for 8,000 euros

When they completed their three-year stay in Spain, the victims paid 8,000 euros to the organization to obtain a valid employment contract, since said contract is an indispensable requirement to be able to apply for a residence card in our country for exceptional circumstances.

After analysing all the information obtained, the agents carried out the corresponding operative device that culminated in the search of four addresses in the province of Vizcaya and the arrest of seven people – six of Pakistani nationality and one of Romanian nationality – in the towns of Guernica (3), Bermeo (3) and Munguia (1). Investigators have intervened 93,522 euros in cash, mobile phones and various documentation.