Police in Valencia have detained three people after an investigation into an alleged scheme that exploited 83 foreigners working on construction sites using the identities of legally registered employees. According to police, a worker who was paid just 6.50 euros an hour in undeclared work without Social Security alerts the case. The complaints led investigators to a construction network that, police say, provided documents taken from employees already authorized to work, then used those documents to place other people in different worksites. The alleged operation targeted people without residence or work permission. Police say they were kept in precarious conditions, paid in cash, and denied rights available to the rest of the workforce. Investigators also say many victims were reluctant to come forward due to fear of losing their jobs or facing reprisals. The probe began in August after a complaint at a district police office, triggering work by the National Police’s Unit against Illegal Immigration Networks and Document Forgery in Valencia. Investigators worked with an inspection report from Valencia’s provincial labour and Social Security authority. Police say the scheme had been operating at least since January 2024 and involved a minimum of 83 affected workers across multiple construction locations. The three detainees include two owners of a company and the woman of one of them, accused of falsifying documents and crimes against workers’ rights. The investigation remains ongoing and police say more arrests are not ruled out.