The National Police have arrested two men, aged 55 and 34, in Alicante for hiring illegal foreign labour to renovate holiday rental houses. The arrests followed a joint operation with the Labour Inspectorate in which up to fourteen persons were discovered working without contracts, some in highly dangerous situations.
The Provincial Immigration and Borders Brigade of the Alicante Provincial Police Station performed the inquiry. The perpetrators are charged with violating workers’ rights.
Investigation is coordinated with the Labour Inspection
The operation began after authorities received information about an individual allegedly exploiting illegal immigrant labour to undertake masonry work for a restoration project aimed at building tourist units. Initial investigations revealed that people of Latin American descent wearing dirty work clothes were gaining access to the premises. Authorities also discovered a second construction site nearby, where workers of Eastern European descent were occupying similar positions.
Given these indications, a simultaneous investigation of both properties was scheduled. The operation was conducted in partnership with the Alicante Labour Inspectorate.
Unhealthy living conditions and employees without contracts
At the time, the team discovered three undocumented men, aged 36 to 60,were discovered working inside the building. They were discovered to be living in the same location where they worked, sleeping on mattresses on the floor and using multiple electrical equipment connected to a single power source. They had no bathrooms and limited sanitary amenities. They worked nine-hour shifts Monday through Friday, earning €75 each day in cash.
A fourth worker without a contract, a 53-year-old man, and a woman who had previously worked as a cleaner were discovered during further examination. They had no contract and were not enrolled with Social Security.
Ten workers ranging in age from 20 to 43 were discovered at the second site. Most could not know Spanish and worked in hazardous conditions, purchasing their own materials and lacking basic safety precautions. Three of these were in an irregular status, while none were registered with the company. They were also uninformed of Spain’s most basic worker rights rules.
Arrests and court situations
The man in charge of the first building site was 55 years old and had a criminal record. The man in charge of the second construction site was 34 years old. Both were found and arrested in the town. The investigation was reported to Alicante’s Court of First Instance.
Teaching and preventing labour rights
The National Police advises individuals to report any behaviour that infringes labour rights, particularly in sensitive areas such as construction. The Labour Inspectorate’s activities and compliance with labour standards are critical to preventing exploitation.
Likewise, anyone who believes they have been a victim of these acts is asked to register a complaint at National Police stations or through the official website www.policia.es. All acts are conducted in total confidentially.
Author: Derek Appleton
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