The authorities in the Basque Country detained a man who operated a retail business with locations in Durango and Portugalete. He is accused of abusing an employee and offering substantial sums of money to persuade her to stay silent and to begin a family with him. Investigators report that the incident involved a scheme of coercion and exploitation that stretched beyond a single transaction, prompting a formal inquiry by immigration and labor officials.
The case center began when a worker, a foreign national, approached the Basque Police Headquarters with concerns about working conditions that lacked any formal contract. The woman described a pattern of employment without proper documentation and without the protections normally afforded to workers. She also raised concerns about other non-resident colleagues who had been employed at the same market stalls without residence permits or official job authorizations, signaling a broader problem at the marketplace run by the suspect and his partner.
In her testimony, the employee recounted troubling conduct by the business owner, including sexual advances during overnight stays in a residence associated with the operation. She disclosed that the man had offered a large sum of money to have children with him, a proposal that complicated the already precarious situation for workers at the stalls. According to her account, when she indicated a willingness to report the matter to the authorities, the man attempted to dissuade her by offering an additional payment, creating a coercive dynamic aimed at preventing disclosure.
Due to the seriousness of these allegations, law enforcement granted the employee protected witness status to ensure her safety during the ongoing assessment. The subsequent investigation confirmed that the primary suspect was a foreign national who, together with his spouse, also a foreign national, managed two market locations in Durango and Portugalete. The findings pointed to a coordinated operation where both storefronts were run under shared management, with workers lacking proper contracts and necessary permissions for residence and employment.
On June 14, investigators conducted two formal inspections in collaboration with labor authorities. During one of these visits, inspectors identified a worker who did not hold a work permit or a formal employment contract, a violation of labor and immigration regulations. The business partners were subsequently taken into custody as part of the enforcement action. The case has continued through the legal process, with authorities seeking to establish a full timeline of events and the extent of exploitation reported by other workers who may have faced similar conditions at the two market locations.
Both suspects were released after initial statements were given to the regional anti-trafficking unit and the court requested additional documentation to move the case forward. The ongoing review aims to determine the exact scope of the alleged offenses and to ensure that justice is applied in accordance with the law. Journalists and residents await updates as the investigation unfolds, emphasizing the importance of safeguarding workers’ rights and ensuring safe, legal employment practices across markets in the Basque region. The authorities stress that exploitation of workers and coercive behavior are serious offenses that require thorough examination and appropriate penalties when proven, with the goal of preventing such incidents from recurring in similar environments.