Three arrested in Rotterdam on suspicion of human trafficking and illegal employment

The Dutch Labor Inspectorate arrested three individuals in the port of Rotterdam on Wednesday on suspicion of human trafficking and illegal employment. During the operation, investigators also discovered six people from Uzbekistan and Algeria living and working illegally in the Netherlands, mainly in construction. They have been transferred to the Immigration Police, the inspectorate announced Thursday.

The operation by the Enforcement Service of the Dutch Labor Inspectorate took place on Wednesday morning at Pottumstraat in Rotterdam’s Waalhaven. A helicopter was deployed to monitor possible escape routes and hard-to-reach areas.

One of the suspects, an employee at a construction company, has reportedly been living illegally in the Netherlands for years. Together with the other suspects, he is alleged to have facilitated the illegal residence and employment of people in the country for more than five years.

Investigators searched a business property and two residences as part of the operation, seizing two cars and a company van. The inspectorate reported that one of the cars has a new value of 410,000 euros.

The arrests and searches stem from a long-running, intensive investigation conducted in collaboration with the Port Police. Previous Labor Inspectorate inspections at the construction company had already uncovered four other illegal workers, reinforcing suspicions of systematic violations. The investigation is now continuing under the supervision of the Public Prosecution Service.