Illegal labor in the Port of Gothenburg – five companies are investigated
In early January, the border police stopped a vehicle in central Gothenburg. Four foreign nationals in the car all said they were working in the city, but none of them were allowed to do so.
After a period of investigation of the case, the police struck in February to a designated workplace in connection with the port of Gothenburg. It is a building in a protection object – a power plant owned by Gothenburg Energy – and eleven foreign persons were then found there without a work permit.
A week ago – Monday, March 3 – another raid was made against the power plant building where 16 people were taken care of because they lacked valid papers to work in Sweden.
– The remarkable thing is that we find so many and that it does not seem to matter that we have just been there. Otherwise, our strikes may tend to calm down the activities, says Mikael Holmgren, section manager at the Border Police in the West.
Where do the workers come from in this case?
– It's a mixture of nationalities, but everyone is overseas.
And what kind of assignment have they had?
– As we consider it, they have worked at this larger construction site in connection with the port area.
The majority of 29 workers have already left Sweden. Some are at the Migration Board's detention in anticipation of departure. Five different employers are subject to the police investigation.
– Experience shows that these are difficult to investigate crimes with long chains by subcontractors. It is easiest to find those who are exploited, but unfortunately we do not always eat. The goal is so clear to reach all the way up. This is about organized crime, says Holmgren.
The entire port area In Gothenburg, it is classified as protection objects and the same goes for the power plant. All contractors who are active there must therefore have undergone a special examination. How it can be that so many people have been able to be on site for a long time without even having ordinary permits for work on Swedish soil, the border police cannot comment on.
– The eligibility questions must answer others, says Mikael Holmgren.
DN is looking for Gothenburg energy for a comment.
