Moroccan Man Arrested for Sexually Exploiting Migrant Farm Workers in Spain

The Moroccan has operated in all the agricultural fields between Torre-Pacheco and La Palma, in Murcia. All his victims, young women in an irregular situation, had to submit to his desires in order to claim paid work at only 13 euros per day.

The police operation, which led to the arrest of the suspect last Saturday, is codenamed "Yawari", in reference to the domestic slaves of the high society during the reign of the Andalusian Caliphate, reports the local press. For the Guardia Civil, the case has not yet revealed all its secrets. The man is suspected of having committed other unreported misdeeds, due to the administrative situation of his victims.

The scandal came to light thanks to the intervention of the Federation of Industry of the Murcia region, (CCOO), the source points out. It had seized a women’s aid association at the very beginning of September, before an investigation was conducted by the Guardia Civil.

Only 5 women had had the courage to report the abuses to the Union. The Federation’s secretary, Alejandra Garcia, had then gone in person to the strawberry fields to collect the grievances and testimonies of the victims. On the ground, recounts the secretary, the intermediary reigns as absolute master, being the only one to act on behalf of the agricultural companies or the temporary employment agencies.

As the language is a real handicap for the seasonal workers, the man was their only link with the outside world, Garcia continues, specifying that "He is the only person they call when they are looking for work. He finds them a job even without papers. He takes care of taking them to the farms and cashing their salaries before taking his share".