In a significant legal development, the Public Prosecutor’s Office (MP) has charged 14 individuals and six companies with serious offenses related to the exploitation of immigrants in the Alentejo region of Portugal. This announcement follows a major operation conducted by the Judicial Police (PJ) aimed at dismantling a criminal network involved in human trafficking and illegal immigration.
Overview of The Charges
The charges stem from an operation dubbed Operation “Espelho” or Mirror, which was executed on November 21, 2023. The MP’s investigation revealed that the accused were part of an organized crime group that facilitated the entry and exploitation of labor from various countries, including Moldova, Romania, Colombia, Peru, Venezuela, and Morocco.
The victims were subjected to inhumane living and working conditions, often without any compensation for their labor. The MP reported that this criminal activity persisted from 2019 to 2023, generating substantial profits for the perpetrators.
The operation involved extensive collaboration among law enforcement agencies, including the National Counter-Terrorism Unit (UNCT) of the PJ.
28 suspects were detained during the operation and at least 100 immigrants were identified as victims of exploitation, primarily in agricultural properties in the Baixo Alentejo region, particularly in the municipalities of Cuba and Ferreira do Alentejo.
Currently, six of the accused remain in preventive custody as the legal process unfolds. The MP has indicated that if no request for further investigation is made, the case will proceed to trial.
