The National Police report having arrested a 56-year-old Argentine man and his 40-year-old Romanian wife for offences against workers' rights.
On June 14, the couple were detained. Their business on the Son Castelló industrial estate in Palma involved the repair of secondhand cars for subsequent sale. The man was in charge of the workshop, the woman took care of the sales.
In early June, the police's immigration division (UCRIF) received information that workers at a unit on the industrial estate were working 12-hour days from 7am to 7pm and were locked in for all this period. Officers ascertained that the workers were illegal immigrants who were being paid less than three euros per hour.
Cameras inside the unit kept a constant check on the workers. There were also cameras outside the premises. A reason for these was to monitor in case police or employment inspectors turned up. Eventually they did and found eight people in all who were working at the unit. As well as the long days when they were confined to the premises and the low pay, they were not registered with social security.
The couple, it is understood, have a previous police record for similar offences.