Albacete, Spain - February 06, 2025 Authorities have dismantled a criminal network that exploited undocumented migrants on agricultural farms across Albacete, Cuenca, Ciudad Real, and Jaén. Four individuals, aged 28 to 54, were arrested in connection with the scheme. The joint operation by the Guardia Civil and the National Police, with support from labor inspectors, uncovered a network that lured vulnerable migrants with false promises, only to subject them to grueling conditions. Workers faced up to 12-hour shifts and were forced to pay for transportation, overcrowded housing, and even food, leaving them with little to no earnings. Investigators found migrants packed into squalid accommodations, with some paying €120 just to sleep on mattresses in garages and rooftops. The criminals also facilitated illegal immigration by falsifying documents to keep workers hidden from authorities. The final phase of “Operation HERMANOS-SHIFA” led to six property searches, the seizure of mobile devices, fraudulent paperwork, and €2,590 in cash. Authorities froze 15 bank accounts holding €35,000 linked to the organization. So far, 30 victims have been freed, and the investigation remains ongoing.