Country Court of Berlin impose prison terms against gangs, which 1000 temporary workers have slipped and exploited to Germany

Country Court of Berlin impose prison terms against gangs, which 1000 temporary workers have slipped and exploited to Germany

In the trial of a gang that is said to have illegally brought and exploited over 1000 temporary workers, the Berlin district court imposed high prison terms. Five men and one woman were found to have guilty on Friday that foreign workers had to have interspersed with commercial and gangs. The main defendant must also pay seven million euros from illegal shops to the state.

The presiding judge described the gang's approach as a "criminal system". The non-European workers were brought to Germany with fake documents as EU citizens and conveyed to companies. The illegality of the labor was ruthlessly exploited. No vacation entitlements were granted to them and no continued wages were granted in the event of illness. Instead, costs for mediation, transport and accommodation were deducted from their wages. Those affected have agreed to these working conditions due to their poor living conditions in their homeland.

The temporary workers were recruited in countries such as Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Moldova and equipped with fake EU papers. They were taught via false companies in Baltic states to logistics companies in large food and online retailers in Germany. The process dealt with crimes that took place between 2018 and the end of 2021.

The court essentially followed the public prosecutor's demands and imposed prison sentence of two years on probation up to seven and a half years in prison. The defense had requested milder punishments.

The judgment is currently not final. However, it shows that Germany is hard against human trafficking and exploitation of workers. Such cases are not only a violation of human rights, but also a great danger for those affected. It is important that such criminal machinations are uncovered and punished to create a fairer world of work for everyone.