Around three dozen family members and workers from 20 held, to “Operation Mirror”, the Judicial Police, are concentrated in front of the Beja Court door, expressing their dissatisfaction with the arrests, for crimes such as aiding illegal immigration.
Upon arrival of the defendants at court, the protesters repeatedly shouted “we want freedom, we want freedom”. This scene repeats itself, after, Wednesday afternoon, demonstrated at the door of the Cuban Court, where the defendants were present for identification.
Giving a voice to the three dozen protesters, Stephanie Bianca (na photos), Romanian citizenship, resident in Cuba, who identified herself as the wife of one of the detainees and also as an agricultural worker, reported that “they have no fault, they didn't mistreat anyone, helped everyone”. “We were out of work, Without help, with nothing”, said. “We have been in Portugal for 7/8 years working with them. They paid well and even more for those who had children in their care.”, not wanting to reveal how much he earned, just saying that he was “satisfied”.
When asked about the conditions in which workers live, Stefania Bianca said that “only one person said it was exploited. Live with others in misery, because they just want the money and don't clean the houses”, pointing the finger at a worker who, on the day of the arrests in Faro do Alentejo, municipality of Cuba, was the only one who spoke to journalists.
In addition to the twenty defendants who are being presented to a Criminal Investigation Judge, (JIC) the Court of Beja, there are other detainees in the same operation, but linked to a process that began in Évora.
According to Lidados Notícias, Among the detainees are, at least, three Portuguese, two men and a woman, the group leader and his right-hand man and the accountant, from whom several range-type vehicles were seized, namely a Porsche, a Jaguar, a Mercedes and a Ford Raptor van valued at 75 thousand euros.
The defendants are charged with crimes of criminal association, human trafficking, facilitate illegal immigration, recruitment of illegal labor, extortion, money laundering, fiscal fraud, physical integrity offenses, possession of a firearm and forgery of documents.
Teixeira Correia
(journalist)
