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full screen The Supreme Court in Stockholm. Archive image. Photo: Magnus Andersson/TT
Two entrepreneurs who deceived and exploited nine Thai berry pickers in their business in the summer of 2023 were sentenced to prison for gross human exploitation. The verdict from the Court of Appeal is now being appealed by the national prosecutor, who wants them to be sentenced for human trafficking instead and receive a harsher sentence.
The entrepreneurs, a man and a woman in their 40s, misled the berry pickers that they would receive the minimum wage according to the Swedish collective agreement and work eight hours a day, five days a week.
Instead, they had to work long days without days off and were paid per kilo picked. This resulted in them receiving between 18 and 29 percent of the contractual salary after two months. Due to the exploitation, they became indebted and became dependent on the couple, who had also taken away their passports.
In the Court of Appeal, the entrepreneurs were sentenced to prison for two years and six months.