14 Business Owners Arrested In Granada, Spain, For Violating Migrants’ Rights

The Guardia Civil has arrested 14 Spanish and Moroccan agricultural business owners in Granada, Spain, for offences against the rights of migrant workers, where five people have also been charged with encouraging illegal immigration and another four with renting out property unfit for living.

The arrest, known as Operation Llano, took place in the municipalities of Zafarraya and Alhama de Granada, where the Guardia Civil reported 38 infractions including illegal immigration for-profit and violation of the right to decent housing.

Most agricultural workers in Spain are migrants, often in irregular situations, who are taken advantage of by employers, as they profit by being able to pay less per hour for workers without legal contracts or registration with the Social Security, and housed in sub-standard accommodation.

The Guardia Civil found that many of the migrants were working up to 10 hours straight, with no right to weekly rest, and were paid between €5 and €6 an hour. Many were also housed in tool sheds, without insulation, enduring very high temperatures, with no electricity, drinking water, or toilets.