Human trafficking arrest reveals roti factory’s destitute Indian migrants

A man was arrested on Saturday after a raid on a roti company in the Westelijk Havengebied in Amsterdam revealed that he was exploiting undocumented Indian migrants.

The raid was done by the Inspectorate for Social Affairs and Employment on Saturday after receiving a report of potential exploitation, news wire ANP reports. Three undocumented migrants were found working for a suspect, an Amsterdam resident of Indian descent.

The suspect paid the migrants well below the minimum wage. For some ten euros per day, they worked six days a week and sometimes had to make roti for 17 hours straight. They sometimes also received only part of their wages.

The man is in custody and will remain there for at least 14 days. He is suspected of exploitation and human trafficking. The Public Prosecutor believes that the migrants worked for him for some time and were completely dependent on him. They do not speak any Dutch and their low wages were barely enough to cover living expenses.

The Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority also participated in the raid and destroyed 300 kilograms of roti because the product did not meet the hygiene requirements.