Moroccan Couple Arrested in Spain for Exploiting Migrant Workers

The accused were arrested on Thursday during a joint operation by the Foreigners and Borders Brigade of the National Police. Once in the industrial warehouse, located in the Amezola neighborhood of Bilbao, the agents found six employees, five of whom were in an irregular situation. They did not have a residence or work permit, reports ABC.

The employees worked up to nine hours a day, every day of the week, for a monthly salary of 200 euros. They were not entitled to days off and if one of them refused to work, the employers threatened to inform the police of their irregular situation so that they could be deported from Spain.

The arrested couple had put in place security measures to avoid any police checks. They made sure the premises were always locked from the inside and only opened them to receive the materials needed for clothing manufacturing.

In addition to custodial sentences, the Moroccan couple face fines of 3,000 euros for each employee not affiliated with social security and an additional 10,000 euros for each person in an irregular situation and without a work permit.