Indian restaurant owners arrested for human smuggling and exploitation of 70+ workers

Two owners of a chain of Indian restaurants in the Netherlands were arrested on September 18, 2026, on suspicion of human smuggling and labour exploitation, following a joint investigation by Europol and the Dutch Labour Inspectorate (Arbeidsinspectie). The case has exposed systematic abuse of a now-defunct visa scheme designed to bring Asian specialist chefs to the country, and raises serious questions about the vulnerability of migrant workers under employer-dependent residence permits.

The suspects own eight restaurants that are part of several Indian hospitality chains, with branches in Utrecht, Amsterdam, The Hague, Hilversum and Hoofddorp. According to the Labour Inspectorate, over 70 workers from India were brought to the Netherlands under the former “Asian hospitality scheme” (regeling Aziatische horeca), which allowed restaurants to hire specialist chefs from outside the EU without first searching within Europe. The scheme was abolished in 2022 after inspectors found widespread abuse.

“The conditions of that scheme were allegedly violated in dozens of cases,” the Labour Inspectorate said in a statement NOS. Workers recruited as chefs were instead put to work as dishwashers, cleaners or waiters. Because they were not performing the job for which their residence and work permits were issued, they were effectively staying in the Netherlands illegally — a key element in the human smuggling charges.

Victims worked between 60 and 80 hours per week, far exceeding the 38-hour maximum allowed under their permits. They received no pay for overtime, and in many cases were underpaid even for the base hours. Investigators estimate the owners made around €4 million in unlawful profits from unpaid labour DutchNews.

The employers also controlled the workers’ housing and allegedly imposed fines if they left before the end of their contracts. “There are also indications that their families in their home countries were put under pressure and threatened with violence by the suspects in order to make the victims work harder and prevent them complaining,” the Labour Inspectorate wrote NL Times.

The investigation covered not only the Netherlands but also Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg and Switzerland, suggesting a cross-border network of exploitation.

What this means for internationals on a residence permit

This case is a stark reminder of the risks that come with employer-sponsored residence permits. The now-defunct Asian hospitality scheme was intended to fill genuine labour shortages, but it created a power imbalance: workers depended entirely on their employer for their legal status. When the employer misused the system, the workers — not the bosses — became undocumented.

If you are in the Netherlands on a work permit tied to a specific employer, it is crucial to know your rights. You are entitled to the job, hours and pay stated in your permit application. If your employer asks you to do different work or to work excessive hours without extra pay, that is a red flag. You can report concerns anonymously to the Labour Inspectorate (Arbeidsinspectie) or to the Dutch National Rapporteur on Trafficking in Human Beings.

For the 70 victims in this case, the next steps will be critical. They may be eligible for a temporary residence permit as victims of human trafficking under the B8/3 regulation, which provides a reflection period and access to support services. The Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) and social organisations such as CoMensha (Coordination Centre against Human Trafficking) are likely to become involved.

The arrests send a signal that the Dutch authorities, together with Europol, are taking employer abuse seriously. But the case also highlights a systemic vulnerability: as long as residence permits are tied to a single employer, workers may be reluctant to speak up for fear of losing their status. The government’s decision to scrap the Asian hospitality scheme in 2022 was a first step, but broader reforms to decouple permits from individual employers remain a topic of debate in the Tweede Kamer.