Swedish entrepreneurs sentenced for exploiting Thai berry pickers

The two Åsele entrepreneurs who forced a large number of Thai berry pickers to live in miserable conditions were not convicted of human trafficking, but were instead sentenced to 2.5 years in prison for gross human exploitation.

The berry pickers testified how they were stripped of their passports, forced to work very long days, not paid, and given little to eat.

Prosecutor Petra Götell asked for a five-year sentence, saying the entrepreneurs were guilty of a particularly ruthless crime.

– They have been deprived of their passports, they are in debt in a foreign country without knowing Swedish and hardly any English… I think it’s a serious crime, because it’s an activity that has been carried out on a large scale with great profit.

Hampus Bergh, the plaintiff’s lawyer, went even further, calling the practice “modern-day slavery”, referring to the misery and vulnerability of the berry pickers.

Trade ban and damages

However, the district court found the couple not guilty of human trafficking, but of the lesser offense of aggravated human exploitation, and in addition to the prison sentence, they were also banned from trading for seven years. The €3 950 000 (4.5 million SEK) they earned by not paying overtime and inconvenient working hours will be forfeited to the state.

Approximately 150 berry pickers were flown to Sweden to be exploited, but the majority of them had already left the country by the time the trial began, leaving only nine Thais as plaintiffs.

The district court found that they were in a very difficult situation and were working in conditions that were clearly unacceptable – but that the requirements for human trafficking were not met. They were also acquitted of abuse of process charges.

The nine remaining berry pickers will also receive €7 000 (SEK 80,000) in damages for injury and between €9 300 (SEK 106,000) and €10 800 (SEK 123,000) each in compensation for lost wages. The lawyer for the convicted man argues that his client is “innocent and should be released” and is considering an appeal.