Beja: Four Romanian citizens tried on charges of trafficking in persons.
Four Romanian citizens and business, Property one, start now on trial before the Court of Beja, the practice co-authored and consummate form of a human trafficking crime and 23 documents subtraction crimes.
O group, aged 26 and 38 year old, He was arrested in 11 November 2013, following an operation carried out by the Judicial Police (PJ) in the city of Moura, where the accused resided, after complaint 23 individuals who were being exploited.
Days before the operation PJ, GNR Serpa seized one of the defendants, 72 passports of Romanian nationality of citizens, among whom were the plaintiffs of workers.
This is the third case of human trafficking who comes to court in Beja, having as responsible for Romanian citizens who exploited compatriots in agricultural work, particularly in the olive picking, living in sub-human conditions and "laden with debt" to explorers.
From the towns of Suceava and Botosani, in northern Romania, workers were recruited with the promise of having "a contract, good salary and housing ", quickly they realized they had been "deceived".
A 1 November 2013, after a week without receiving any remuneration, one of the 23 workers exploited, via mobile phone, contacted the Judicial Police and the Romanian Embassy, both in Lisbon, after having formalized complaint at the post of Serpa GNR, what triggered the efforts of the two forces (GNR e PJ).
The Consulate of Romania in Faro, He entered the process and the plaintiffs were taken to the Diocesan Caritas of Beja (na photos) and after, with the support of "tall structures of the Portuguese Government", They were transported to their country of origin.
Among other assumptions the prosecution considers that the defendants acted "with the achieved purpose of obtaining an illegitimate enrichment, causing victims a financial loss ".
Two other cases tried before the Court of Beja
Thirteen of a total of sixteen Romanian citizens and two companies founded by the defendants, in which 2014 They were tried before the Court of Beja, accused of trafficking crimes of people in the olive picking, were sentenced to jail, some with suspended sentence.
No total, the judges who judged the two cases, applied prison sentences of 52 years and 6 months and dissolved the two companies involved in the hiring scheme of exploited workers.
The first case was tried in July and the ten defendants, seven were sentenced to 29 and 3 months in jail, having all been suspended sentences, other three were acquitted and a dissolved expressed. The domain was a Groza, who had six people involved and sentenced family and individuals were arrested in Corte Vicente Anes (Aljustrel). The only one who is in jail is Gheorghe, group leader, that serving a 6 years and 9 months.
The second came to the court of the bar in December and the six involved were sentenced to twenty-three years and three months in prison, ending all defendants to see the suspended sentences. The company involved in the hiring workers scheme was dissolved.
O group, aged 23 and 51 year old, He was arrested in 13 November last year, following an operation carried out by the Aliens and Borders Service (SEF) Carob in the Herdade de Baixo, in the Trinity parish, county Beja.
Teixeira Correia
(journalist)
