Authorities Allege Slave Labor
SAO PAULO, Brazil – A Bolivian couple has been arrested allegedly utilizing slave labor in a sweatshop they owned on Three Rivers Street in the Bom Retiro neighborhood of the capitol. The man is 34-years-old and his wife.
The pair was arrested in the clandestine shop on the 3rd floor of the building where police discovered 16 Bolivian and Paraguayans subjected to degrading work and housing conditions. The police are now investigating which stores were selling the goods produced
Detectives of the 3rd Precinct Investigations Division of Environment and Labor were canvassing the neighborhood, known for its sweat-shops, looking for violations of labor law. Upon passing building number 119 Three Rivers Street, they became suspicious and decided to investigate.
They found the Bolivian and Paraguayan laborers toiling away in a small room with poor lighting and ventilation. On site, there were clothes scattered on the floor, makeshift beds and a dining table. There was lighting only in the sewing room. The bedroom, kitchen and bathroom had no lights.
The 17 workers took cold baths and worked 13 hours per day—from 7 am to 8 pm without a break except for fast meals. They earned from U.S. $350 to $530 per month.
Brazilian online news source: O Globo
Read also: More Articles from Brazil Dispatch
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