Forced Labor2011
Mexico MX
Police also arrested four people accused of smuggling the migrants, who are from Central and South America and Asia, Chiapas state prosecutors said in a statement. Prosecutors have also detained two officials of Mexico's National Immigration Institute for allegedly prostituting female Central American migrants in the state of Chiapas More than 500 illegal migrants have been discovered crammed into the trailers of two trucks heading from Mexico towards the US. While most of those on board were thought to be from Guatemala, there were others from Ecuador and El Salvador as well as smaller numbers from as far afield as China, Nepal and India. There were 32 women and 4 children on board, authorities said.
Forced Labor2009
Mexico MX
Mexico City's attorney gerneral, Miguel Angel Mancera reports that the victims ranged from 14 to 70 years old. Some were tortured, some victims also suffered sexual abuse, some had serious wounds, some even had fractures. All of the victims were suffering from severe dehydration and malnutrition. Some were taken to a hospital. The captives, some of whom speak only indigenous languages and no Spanish, were locked in the building, which had bars on the windows and a fence outside, he said. They made handbags and clothespins and were not paid. Their only daily meal consisted of chicken legs and rotten vegetables, Mancera said. "The vast majority of the food we found was spoiled," he said. Video of the inside of the building showed filthy and crowded living conditions. The men and women worked 8 a.m. to midnight and were given only a half-hour food break. They were not allowed to go to the bathroom, and many soiled themselves, officials said.
Forced Labor2006
Mexico MX
KBL Group International recruited foreigners of Chinese origin to work in a factory to make sweaters with the promise of high pay and hourly rates. In truth, KBL would charge workers for travel expenses, rent and food causing each to be in debt. Workers has to work 14 hours a day, six days a week without sick days or holidays. They were not allowed to marry or females to get pregnant. The only day off were Sundays, where they were allowed short alloted time out of the factory with other workers and escorted for surveillance. All identification and documents were taken from their possession and were threatened with deportation. They were also punished with high fines for tardiness by the minute and for not buying the food KBL provided. KBL also had Mexican employees were were not allowed to communicate with the Chinese workers.