Costa Cálida
Murcia businessman sentenced for employing hundreds of migrant workers illegally
By m.p.
Oct 9, 2007 - 6:42 PM

A businessman who employed more than 400 migrant workers illegally in a fruit warehouse in has been sentenced to 30 months in prison for infringing health and safety regulations and infringing the rights of foreign workers. He also has to pay a hefty fine.

Named by EFE as José M.R., he had 424 members of staff working there without residence or employment papers.
There was no toilet on the premises, and they were forced to work longer hours than the maximum permitted under the labour agreement which governs the sector.

Civil Guard and employment inspectors visited the warehouse in April 2004, and found that eleven of the staff were underage, and none of the workers earned more than 14 cents for each kilo of fruit.