A farm worker picking up lily of the valley.

-

Sebastien SALOM-GOMIS / SIPA

  • Five people residing in Montauban have just been indicted as part of a network of illegal seasonal workers.

  • They are suspected of having created several companies to make workers of Moroccan origin workers illegally in the collection of fruit or work in the vineyard.

These inhabitants of Montauban are suspected of having employed nearly 250 people, exclusively Moroccan nationals, illegally.

Five people have just been indicted, including one placed in pre-trial detention, as part of a network of Moroccan seasonal workers working on farms throughout France.

The people being prosecuted are French people of Moroccan origin and Moroccans according to the Haute-Garonne border police, in charge of this case with the Interministerial Research Group.

During the two years of activity of their companies, they generated a turnover of 1.6 million euros but, on the official books of accounts, no cash inflow appeared.

The latter were providers of agricultural labor, particularly in the collection of fruit or the pruning of the vines, but did not declare their activities.

Several dozen “employees” entered France illegally or were already there, but in an irregular situation.

These seasonal agricultural workers were employed under different identities on several farms.

Several companies created

On January 19, during their arrests in Tarn-et-Garonne, 23,000 euros in cash were seized, as well as 30,000 euros in bank accounts and vehicles.

To avoid attracting attention, the five people indicted had created several companies in different departments, managed from Montauban.

“The operators felt like they were calling on a traditional company because they had documents that gave the appearance of legality.

They went there with their eyes closed and paid the service companies, ”explained a border police official.

The judicial investigation was opened last June for aid to illegal stay in an organized gang, covert work and employment of foreigners without title in an organized gang, forgery and use of forgery as well as aggravated money laundering.

Economy

Coronavirus in Paca: Nearly 300 Moroccan seasonal workers transported to the fields of Vaucluse and Bouches-du-Rhône

Justice

Bouches-du-Rhône: Spanish temporary employment company sentenced for abuse of posted agricultural workers

  • Police

  • Workers

  • Morocco

  • Toulouse

  • Montauban

  • Agriculture

  • Society