The first session of a trial has been scheduled for 9:30 a.m. on Monday at the Beja Court, according to the Citius portal consulted today.
Tiago Melo Alves, an attorney involved in the case, confirmed that the trial is set to begin on Monday morning and mentioned that sessions are scheduled until the end of January or the beginning of February.
This trial stems from “Operation Mirror,” a campaign by the Polícia Judiciária in November 2023, concerning the alleged exploitation of numerous immigrant workers on agricultural estates in Alentejo.
Out of the 35 defendants—22 individuals and 13 companies—some requested the opening of an investigation, but the indictment was issued with the same details as the charge, according to Tiago Melo Alves.
Nearly all the individual defendants face charges of 16 counts of human trafficking. One is accused of 19 counts, including one count of criminal association, aiding illegal immigration, association for aiding illegal immigration, and money laundering, as per the indictment documents.
Some defendants are also charged with document forgery or possession of prohibited weapons.
Among those accused, eight are Romanian and five Portuguese, originating from various areas within the Beja district. The rest are of various foreign nationalities, according to the Public Prosecutor’s Office (MP).
The companies face charges including 16 counts of human trafficking, one count of criminal association, aiding illegal immigration, association for aiding illegal immigration, and money laundering.
Two other companies face similar charges, plus one of document forgery, while the final two companies are charged with similar offenses but face 19 counts of human trafficking without document forgery.
The MP asserts that, at an unspecified date before January 1, 2020, the defendants created a network for the illegal entry of immigrants into Portugal, primarily from Romania, Moldova, Ukraine, India, Senegal, Nepal, Timor-Leste, and Pakistan. These immigrants were allegedly used as cheap labor under near-forced conditions.
Despite seeking “better living conditions,” these immigrants found themselves working in agricultural and construction sectors across the country, housed in “degrading conditions,” in overcrowded rooms without climate control and poorly maintained, for which they were charged for accommodation, documents, food, utilities, and transportation.
The fees imposed prevented the immigrants from receiving any monthly compensation, forcing them to beg for food, as stated in the documents.
To create an appearance of “legality,” the defendants established commercial companies.
The MP also requests the court to award compensation to 19 victims for the damages they suffered due to labor and personal exploitation, pointing out that the alleged illegal activities yielded a total revenue of €19,767,141.09.
