In a major operation spanning the Spanish provinces of Murcia and Albacete, the Guardia Civil (Spanish civil guard) has uncovered an elaborate scheme that defrauded and exploited hundreds of temporary workers from Morocco and Senegal. The operation, dubbed Bomvoyage, resulted in the arrest of 13 individuals and the investigation of six others, all believed to be part of an international criminal organization.
The scheme involved charging workers in their home countries between 4,000 and 6,000 euros for the opportunity to work in Spain. Once in Spain, they faced grueling working conditions, illegal salary deductions, and the option to stay illegally after their contracts ended for an additional 4,000 to 12,000 euros to regularize their status. The workers were subjected to exploitation on farms in HellÃn, Albacete, with the criminal organization profiting over half a million euros.
The organization’s manipulative selection process included a network of facilitators in Senegal and Morocco who were respected by public authorities. The workers were forced to sign documents they did not understand, enabling the organization to profit from various services. The investigation began in 2023 when foreign workers contracted through the program did not return home, leading to arrests and financial investigations. Numerous bank accounts have been blocked, and more arrests are expected as the inquiry progresses.
