The Public Prosecutor's Office of DIAP Regional de Évora filed a public accusation, for trial in collective court, against 13 (thirteen) foreign nationals and 1 (an) national citizen.
They were accused of committing acts capable of forming part of the crimes of human trafficking, facilitate illegal immigration, aid association illegal immigration, money laundering, document forgery, prohibited weapon detention. They were also accused 6 (six) commercial companies.
The criminal activity investigated was international in nature, was organized to bring in and exploit labor from people from different countries, such as Moldova, Romania, Colombia, Peru, Venezuela, Morocco, subjecting them to living conditions, inhumane and degrading accommodation and work, without being paid compensation for the work they performed, mainly in the southern part of the country.
As part of this research, on 21 November 2023 “Operation Mirror” was carried out, in this specific case in Évora, since there was another party in Cuba, executing home and non-home search warrants, Dozens of victims of this criminal activity were then identified and eight suspects were arrested, of which six were in pre-trial detention.
This activity was developed between 2019 and 2023 and generated large amounts of money, with the Public Prosecutor's Office promoting the loss in favor of the State of several seized assets and the loss of benefits obtained from the illicit activity discovered in, at least, € 9 143.089,03 (nine million one hundred and forty-three thousand and eighty-nine euros and three cents), as well as several vehicles that have been seized.
Incongruous assets were also found in the defendants’ patrimonial sphere, with a view to requesting an order to pay the amount.
The investigation was led by DIAP Regional de Évora, with the assistance of the Judiciary Police – UNCT and the intervention of the Asset Recovery Office (GRA) and also with the support of the Portuguese EUROJUST Office, using international judicial cooperation mechanisms.
Six defendants are awaiting pre-trial detention, the deadline for possible opening of instruction that, unless required, will determine the referral of the case for trial.
Source: MP for Évora Regional DIAP
