Former head of the peach firm and Thai companion are wanted in prison, according to Scandinavian prosecutors.
PUBLISHED: 13 Aug 2024 at 21: 43
In connection with the abuse of Thai employees, lawyers in Finland are demanding a maximum sentence of five years in prison for the previous head of a peach firm and his Thai business partner.
The Lapland District Court on Monday held its prosecution on 77 aggravated human smuggling matters, according to Scandinavian public broadcaster YLE. Jukka Kristo, the former CEO of Polarica, and his Thai business companion, Kalyakorn Phongpit, have denied all costs.
In 2022, a record number of 4, 000 workers arrived in Finland to work, according to the prosecution, the couple forced Thai cherry pickers to do so and other degrading conditions there.
Subpar lodging and occasionally lacked shower features were some of the degrading features. Generally, meals included raw liver, salmon heads, and boiled chicken legs.
When the farmers arrived in Finland, team members collected their passports and return flight tickets. Pickers complained about the circumstances to police, but they later told investigators that they were afraid of vengeance, according to YLE.
According to the trial, the Thai farmers ‘ contracts stated that they would be penalized if there were any shortfalls in cherry volumes. Many pickers ended up owing money to the peach firm despite working for several weeks.
The trial is asking for the forfeit of nearly one million euros in judicial proceeds from the two defendants in addition to prison time.
A top Finnish civil servant is set to go on trial in Helsinki for accepting bribes and performing standard tasks in a relevant situation.
Prosecutors allege that Olli Sorainen, a senior director at the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, was conscious of Thai workers ‘ problems as early as the beginning of 2020.
Scandinavian officials, however, did not intervene in the peach businesses ‘ businesses nor prevent them from recruiting more workers from Thailand.
Thai analysis continued
In Thailand, the Department of Special Investigation is also gathering information in a situation where it claimed that two former officials and various high-ranking leaders would face costs. They are accused of demanding 36 million Thai Baht from a career agent in exchange for granting Finland’s request for Thai staff.
Thailand halted workers from entering the country until the words with Helsinki were renegotiated due to the way the Thai workers were treated in Finland.
The two nations recently reached an agreement, and on August 2 the Ministry of Labour announced that 900 Thai laborers would be sent to Finland this year for the peach harvest time.
Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, the secretary of labor, announced that he would attend Finland the following month to check on how the staff are being treated.
According to him,” This bilateral cooperation aims to ensure that the advantages, welfare, and protection of the employees are protected and to stimulate more workers to work there in the future.”