The head of an agricultural business on the industrial estate in Calasparra faces a prison sentence for illegally employing foreign workers, including a minor.
The businessman, who has not been named but has a warehouse in the west of the industrial estate, will appear in court this week.
He has been charged with offences that contravene the rights of the workers and faces a prison sentence of six years and three months and a fine of 4,500 euros.
According to the prosecution the accused repeatedly employed foreign workers without work permits.
Agents from the provincial brigade of Foreigners and Borders of the National Police, accompanied by personnel from the Inspection of Work and Social Security, visited one of the warehouses used for cutting onions.
Ostensibly, six workers were legally employed, however, the police counted 36 workers of whom, according to the Public Ministry, 83.3% were not legally employed. The Inspection of Work found that 18 employers had been registered as employed from that same day.
The prosecution alleges that three of these “employees” did not have papers or work permits. Moreover, one of them worked the night shift and lived in a container on the premises.
The police also found a minor, a 15 year old Bulgarian boy, working illegally on the site.
