Five accused of exploiting two Portuguese for 15 years

The Coimbra Public Prosecutor's Office has charged four men and one woman with human trafficking for labor exploitation and money laundering. They allegedly exploited two vulnerable Portuguese citizens in agricultural operations in Spain for 15 years. The accused, all Portuguese nationals, reportedly recruited and controlled the victims, subjecting them to degrading living conditions and forcing them to work long hours without proper compensation. They allegedly profited over 572,000 euros from the victims' unpaid wages and social benefits. One accused has a prior conviction for human trafficking. Two are in preventive detention, while others face non-custodial measures. The investigation involved cooperation with Spanish authorities and Eurojust.