Finnish police have completed an investigation into an alleged labour exploitation scheme at a cleaning company in Helsinki where more than 20 Asian workers were asked to pay thousands of euros in exchange for jobs.
The investigation was led by the Helsinki Police Department’s regional group focused on work-related human trafficking. Authorities said the inquiry lasted about a year.
Police said the owner of the cleaning company and one employee are suspected of demanding around €5,000 from each worker in return for employment at the firm.
Investigators estimate the suspected criminal proceeds reached about €100,000.
The case includes around 20 suspected counts of aggravated extortion. Other alleged offences include making unlawful threats, arranging illegal immigration, attempted incitement to false testimony and a registration offence.
Detective Chief Inspector Nils Majewski said most of the workers received only a few hours of work each day despite holding residence permits tied to full-time employment contracts.
Because their permits depended on full-time work, several workers were forced to search for jobs at other companies or leave Finland, police said.
Authorities also suspect one of the accused threatened a worker by referring to the possible abduction of the employee’s child in their country of origin.
Police said the threat came after the worker warned others on social media about exploitation within the sector. Investigators said the social media posts did not mention the company or its owner by name.
The suspects remained in custody throughout the preliminary investigation.
The case has now been transferred to prosecutors for consideration of charges. Finnish prosecutors filed charges at the end of April.
The Helsinki Police Department did not release the names of the suspects or the company involved.
HT
