Europol Busts Major Visa Scam That Forced Indian Restaurant Workers Into 80-Hour Workweeks

Indian restaurant workers were systematically lured to Europe through a fraudulent visa scheme and subjected to grueling, seven-day workweeks under threats of violence, according to police statements.

Europol reported that victims were forced into 16-hour workdays, generating €4 million (US$ 4.5 million) in profits for the implicated restaurants through severe underpayment. At least 70 individuals, primarily Indian nationals, entered Europe on migrant visas designated for specialized chefs, only to be assigned roles as dishwashers, cleaners, waiting staff, and managers.

Authorities arrested two owners of eight Indian establishments in the Netherlands as part of an ongoing human trafficking investigation. These businesses belong to three larger international chains, and investigators suspect identical criminal enterprises operated across associated locations in Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg, France, and Switzerland.

The suspects directly recruited and housed the workers, trapping them through threats of violence, financial penalties for early termination, and psychological pressure directed at their families back home. Victims endured up to 80 hours of work per week under heavily exploitative conditions.

Law enforcement noted that psychological coercion and pressure on families in India were utilized to maximize labor output and deter complaints to authorities. In addition to the eight Dutch locations, coordinated actions involved visits to seven restaurants in Germany, two each in Luxembourg and Switzerland, and one in Belgium.

The Netherlands Labour Authority executed the arrests following targeted inspections, implicating the owners in human smuggling and the employment of illegal aliens. Officials explained that because the workers did not fulfill the specific terms of their chef visas, they were effectively residing and working illegally.

The fraudulent operations exploited a former government initiative designed to permit Dutch entrepreneurs to recruit specialized chefs from outside the European Economic Area. Although the scheme was officially abolished in 2022, a transitional phase permitted visas to be issued until July 2024.