In the province of La Rioja, more than 20 people were rescued from a situation of slave labor as part of an operation carried out by the Federal Operational Unit Division La Rioja of the Argentine Federal Police. The victims, who were being subjected to trafficking and servitude, were found in conditions of extreme precariousness and without economic resources.
According to information provided by the authorities, the case was initiated following a report made by a family member of one of the affected individuals, who was working under deplorable conditions in the migrant worker modality. After various field tasks carried out by order of the Federal Court of La Rioja, the existence of crimes was discovered in three residences in the town of Vichigasta, where the raid took place.
During the operation, the 21 individuals were rescued who were without potable water or ventilation, in conditions of extreme precariousness. The victims, originally from Santiago del Estero, revealed that they were working on olive harvesting without receiving the agreed payment and had their identity documents withheld.
Along with the rescue, a sum of $100,000, a cellphone, the identity documents of the rescued individuals, a DVR, notebooks with notes, and other relevant items for the investigation were seized. Additionally, the situation was reported to the Ministry of Labor of La Rioja, which provided the means to transport the affected individuals to the capital.
Finally, the freed individuals, the implicated woman, and the seized items were placed at the disposal of the court for alleged violation of the Human Trafficking Law.