As we reported yesterday, Kurt Beier was accused of exploiting drivers from Sri Lanka and the Philippines via the use of a subsidiary based in Poland.
The lawyer of Karsten Beier, Kurt Beier’s owner and managing director, reacted to the judge’s decision by saying the case should never have reached court and that the “verdict speaks for itself”.
As jv.dk reports, the prosecutor now has 14 days to decide whether to appeal the case to the high court.
As multiple Danish media sources write, Kurt Beier Transport was acquitted of the labour exploitation charges as no evidence could be found that the company was the drivers' employer.
On the other hand, the court also reportedly emphasized that the company was well aware that the driver’s camp in Padborg was in such a condition that it was illegal to use. As a result, a fine of DKK 100,000 was given to the company, while an additional fine of DKK 25,000 was dished out to Karsten Beier. In total, the two fines amount to around €16,800.
It appears that the heat is now being turned on the individual responsible for the company the aforementioned drivers were actually contracted to. As Danish website DR News reported yesterday, a Danish individual is set to appear in court in Poland next month on human trafficking charges.
