European authorities have arrested two restaurant owners in the Netherlands after a Europol-led investigation identified at least 70 Indian nationals who were allegedly exploited in restaurants across six countries.
Investigators said workers were brought to Europe on specialised chef visas, then assigned jobs including dishwashing, cleaning, serving and restaurant management. They were allegedly made to work 60 to 80 hours a week, often for six or seven days, despite a permitted working week of 38 hours. In some cases, workers were made to work up to 16 hours a day.
The investigation concerns restaurants in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg, France and Switzerland. Authorities inspected 20 restaurants simultaneously across those countries. The network is connected to three international Indian restaurant chains operating in the six nations, although the extent of involvement or knowledge by the chains' corporate management has not been established.
Labour inspectors in the Netherlands arrested two owners of eight restaurants belonging to the three chains. Those restaurants were in Amsterdam, Utrecht, The Hague, Hilversum and Hoofddorp. The arrests took place in parallel with coordinated measures by German law enforcement on Friday evening.
Authorities said restaurant owners and their associates recruited workers through a visa route intended for specialised chefs. The suspects allegedly used the Dutch Asian Catering Scheme, which allowed companies to bring Asian chefs from abroad through a relatively simple process.
The scheme was abolished in 2022 after inspectors found evidence of widespread abuse. Transitional visas continued to be issued until 2024. Inspections of 50 Dutch restaurants in 2021 and 2022 found breaches of labour permit rules at 60% of high-risk establishments and 45% of randomly selected restaurants.
According to investigators, the workers received wages far below legal levels and were denied payment for overtime. Restaurant owners are suspected of making over €4 million in unlawful profits through the systematic underpayment of workers.
The Labour Authority suspects the owners of human smuggling and employing illegal immigrants. The available information does not state the specific charges against those arrested, any trial timetable, or whether authorities have identified all people involved in the operation.
Investigators said workers were kept under control through threats of violence and financial penalties if they tried to leave their jobs or return to India. Perpetrators also allegedly pressured and threatened relatives in India to make workers remain in their jobs and avoid contacting authorities.
Accommodation was part of the alleged control system. Indian restaurant owners housed workers, while the accused are alleged to have arranged both recruitment and accommodation as part of the trafficking operation.
Conditions found during the inspections included apparent overcrowding. In Berlin, authorities inspected two restaurants employing 27 people in total. Several employees were found sleeping on mattresses in the basement of one restaurant.
Seven men were deported from Dubai and arrested in Mumbai. They face legal action under Indian laws concerning forgery and immigration fraud. Authorities have not disclosed the full identities or nationalities of all suspects beyond the two owners arrested in the Netherlands.
The investigation has established the alleged use of a work-permit system to bring workers to Europe under one job description before placing them in different roles. It remains unclear how many workers may still be trapped or unaccounted for, whether victims have received compensation or help returning home, and whether investigators have traced financial flows connected to the more than €4 million in alleged unlawful profits.
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