- Dutch investigators arrested two restaurant-chain owners on September eighteenth, twenty twenty-six, over suspected trafficking and labour exploitation.
- Authorities allege workers entered on more than seventy permits but were often assigned jobs outside specialist cooking.
- Investigators say workers faced sixty to eighty hours weekly, unpaid overtime and pressure, while the network allegedly earned more than four million euros.
Dutch investigators arrested two owners of Indian restaurant chains on September 18, 2026, in a probe into suspected human trafficking, migrant smuggling and labour exploitation. The Netherlands Labour Authority’s Investigative Service made the arrests.
Authorities allege the network brought mainly Indian nationals to Europe on more than 70 work and residence permits, then assigned many to jobs other than specialist cooking. Some worked as dishwashers, cleaners, waiting staff or restaurant managers.
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The workers were allegedly made to work 60 to 80 hours a week, often across six or seven days, compared with a permitted 38 hours. They received no additional pay for overtime, investigators say.
The authority said: “The suspects are believed to have obtained more than 4 million euros in unlawful profits from this.”
The restaurant network stretched across five Dutch cities
The investigation links the suspects to three international Indian restaurant chains operating eight restaurants in the Netherlands. Their locations included Amsterdam, Utrecht, The Hague, Hilversum and Hoofddorp.
The case reaches beyond a dispute over hours or unpaid overtime. Investigators are examining suspected trafficking and migrant smuggling alongside the alleged workplace exploitation. The inquiry also spans several European countries.
Authorities from Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Switzerland took part in the operation, with support from Europol. The probe examined suspected abuse at restaurants in those countries and in France.
Investigators say workers faced pressure at work and at home
Officials allege the suspects recruited and housed workers, then used threats of violence and financial penalties to keep them working. Families in India also faced pressure, investigators say.
Europol said the traffickers “forced their victims to work up to 16 hours per day, underpaid them and impeded them from leaving the country.” The agency also described psychological coercion aimed at making workers labour harder and stopping them from complaining.
It said that pressure reached relatives in India as well. The investigation concerns workers who came expecting specialist cooking roles but were allegedly put into a range of lower-paid kitchen and service jobs.
A Dutch chef recruitment route was abolished in 2022
The alleged permit abuse centred on the former Asian Catering Scheme, a route that made it easier for Dutch employers to recruit specialist Asian chefs from abroad. Inspectors found similar misuse, and the scheme was abolished in 2022.
Dutch investigators say the three restaurant chains connected to the suspects systematically abused that route. The case therefore involves allegations about both how workers entered the Netherlands and the conditions they encountered after arriving.
The inquiry began under the authority of the National Office for Serious Fraud, Environmental Crime and Asset Confiscation. Investigators say the work and residence permits were issued for the scheme, while many of the recruits did not perform specialist-chef duties.
Authorities coordinated inspections across borders
The Netherlands Labour Authority said its Criminal Investigation Department made the arrests. A total of 19 inspections took place, including 8 in the Netherlands.
The international inquiry covered suspected exploitation in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg, France and Switzerland. Authorities from five countries participated in the operation, while the investigation’s geographic scope also included France.
The agency issued its account on September 19, 2026, a day after the arrests. Investigators’ allegations concern the use of chef permits to recruit workers, their assignment to other restaurant roles, and the hours and pressure they faced once employed.
