The Investigation Department of the Netherlands Labour Authority has seized assets belonging to the shareholder of a temporary employment agency operating in the slaughter and meat processing sector. The assets include bank accounts, a plot of land and property in the Netherlands. 20 properties worth around 2.4 million euros have been seized in Germany. The total value of the seized goods is estimated at around 3.3 million euros.
In the ongoing investigation by the Investigation Department – under the authority of the Public Prosecution Service – the employment agency and its shareholder are suspected of embezzling over 2.1 million euros. The suspect is also alleged to have gained some 2.4 million euros from the proceeds of similar criminal offences. The suspect's total unlawful gain has been calculated at around 4.5 million euros. The shareholder has already been apprehended for this and his assets have now been seized.
Migrant workers in the meat sector
It is suspected that migrant workers employed as agency workers did not have their wages paid into their own bank accounts. The bank accounts the wages were paid to were changed in the temporary employment agency's payroll system. The salaries were then withdrawn in cash. The bank accounts the salary was paid into were presumably managed by staff at the employment agency. No attachment order was made against the temporary employment agency itself to avoid disrupting its operations or the payment of wages to agency workers. The next preliminary hearing in this case is scheduled for August.
Report on the meat sector
Just before the summer, the Labour Authority will publish a report on the state of supervision and enforcement at Dutch meat processing companies. Following a considerable period of operations by the supervisory and investigation departments, the Labour Authority will provide an overview of what has been taking place in the meat sector.