Nicaraguan Human trafficking organisation stopped in Madrid

THE Guardia Civil in Madrid have arrested seven people aged between 19 and 41 in connection with crimes related to human trafficking.

The group of four women and three men allegedly set up an illegal business in La Rioja and Aragon which specialised in bringing care workers for elderly, disabled and terminally ill people into the country from Nicaragua so they could profit by using them as slaves.

The care workers received threats from the gang periodically thereby forcing them to comply. The Guardia Civil has confirmed that there were around 50 women who have been victims of this particular form of slavery connected to the gang since 2016.

The group is reported to have earned around €750,000 for bringing people into the country and using them in this way.

One of the leaders of the group was caught at the Barajas airport in Madrid as he was allegedly attempting to bring three migrants into the country from Nicaragua. The AYOTE operation captured the rest of the gang – who are believed to be related – later in La Rioja and Huesca where they were running the business.

The detainees have been charged with human trafficking, money laundering, labour exploitation and belonging to a criminal gang.