Judge Hakan Olaussen emphasized in his justification that the Poles worked for half a year in very difficult conditions without agreed remuneration.
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— One of the men received virtually no pay. For some time he was so hungry that he ate apples from the orchard and dog food – noted the judge.
Human trafficking and high compensation
The 35-year-old was formally convicted of human trafficking. It is also to pay a total of PLN 900,000 to the victims. Swedish kronor compensation (approx. EUR 83,000).
Two of his colleagues were sentenced for money laundering in business activities — one received a suspended sentence, the other one received a year and three months in prison.
According to Linda Erhorn from the Swedish Border Police, the ruling is precedent-setting and constitutes an important indication of what actions may lead to a conviction for human trafficking in the context of employee exploitation.
Lured by the promise of earnings
Three Poles, in crisis of homelessness, were lured to work in southern Sweden with the promise of attractive earnings. In fact, they testified, they received only small amounts for long hours of exhausting work, without protective equipment, six days a week or without days off.
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They lived in an unheated attic in poor sanitary conditions.
Shortly after arriving, they learned from their 35-year-old supervisor that they allegedly owed him money for transportation, lodging and utilities. The man was supposed to constantly control them. In fact, he employed them illegally and offered their services to clients.
The case came to light in winter
The tragedy of Polish workers lasted six months. The case came to light in February, when one of the hypothermic Poles was found by a police patrol on the E65 road, a few kilometers from the city of Ystad. The man, without money and documents, walked on foot to the nearest town.
The police then carried out a search at the farm near Skurupwhere two more Poles were freed.
