The photograph is for illustrative purposes.

Foreign workers from Paraguay were promised jobs in Europe and earnings of several thousand to 10,000 euros per month.

They ended up in an illegal cigarette factory near Slovenia's Lendava, where, according to investigators, they worked without pay and were not allowed to leave. Slovenian police announced that at least 34 workers were found at the facility, 33 citizens of Paraguay and 1 citizen of Bulgaria, and that they are investigating suspected human trafficking and tax evasion.

Through Zagreb to the factory they were not allowed to leave

According to findings so far, the workers arrived in Europe at the beginning of September and continued their journey to Zagreb. There, they were met by an unknown man and driven by van to the facility near Lendava. They did not know where he was taking them. During the transport they had to remain silent, and upon arrival the driver took their mobile phones and assigned where they would sleep.

They worked 12 hours, sometimes were even hungry

Police describe overcrowded sleeping quarters without daylight and proper ventilation, too few toilets and showers, and occasional lack of food. They worked 12 hours a day, without any payment. The facility was under video surveillance and surrounded by a double fence, and they were forbidden from contacting people outside. Some felt dizzy because of tobacco and chemicals.

They could hardly wait for someone to find them

The workers told investigators that they would never have accepted the job if they had known the real conditions. 'They emphasized that they could hardly wait for the police to discover them and rescue them from those unbearable conditions,' said Mitja Jager, director of the Criminal Police Directorate. They especially stressed the desire to see their families and children again.

One suspect released, another being sought

Investigators suspect 2 Slovenian citizens of exploiting the workers for forced labor together with other, as yet unidentified persons. One was arrested and brought before an investigating judge in Murska Sobota, who released him after questioning. On October 20, police announced that they are searching for 50-year-old Simeon Motaln, suspected of human trafficking and tax evasion.

'Today Paraguayans, who is next?'

The case has also prompted demands for better oversight. Workers' rights advocate Goran Lukić warned about the scale of exploitation on the program 24UR ZVEČER and asked: 'Today Paraguayans, who is next?' The Slovenian Chamber of Craft and Entrepreneurship called for a thorough investigation, determination of the responsibility of all involved, and appropriate sanctions.

The workers are now safe and receiving assistance. According to the police statement, support includes accommodation, food, health and psychosocial care, and legal aid. While investigators determine the responsibility of the suspects, recovery and decisions about returning home await the workers who were found.