Bulgarians working on Cornish farm 'forced to scavenge for food'

The firm which employed the gang of 40 Bulgarians had its licence revoked after the abuse of the illegal workers was uncovered.

Baltic Work Team, based in Redruth, Cornwall, lured the workers to the UK with the promise of work permits to pick fruit and vegetables on farms in the South West for clients including Tesco and Sainsbury's.

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But, when they arrived, they were told they would be self-employed - which is not allowed under restrictions imposed by the Government when Romania and Bulgaria joined the EU at the start of this year.

They were sub-contracted out to farms, who had no knowledge they were working illegally or being mistreated.

Those who innocently used the migrants to pick and plant cabbages and courgettes destined for dinner tables across the UK included Cornwall-based Southern England Farms, whose clients includeTesco and Sainsbury's.

The Gangmaster Licensing Authority said it had uncovered a string of offences against the workers by Baltic, including taking money out of their wages, threatening to cut off gas and electricity supplies and making them work without food or water.

They were left without pay for 35 days - forcing them to survive by eating the courgettes and cabbages they were picking.

GLA chairman Paul Whitehouse said the firm's licence had originally been pending an appeal, but had now been ordered to cease trading permanently.

He said: "The men were from Bulgaria and had been promised work permits which never arrived.

"Every time they asked what was happening the were told the paperwork was in the post.

"But then wages weren't paid and they had to started eating courgettes and cabbages because they didn't have any other source of income.

"Baltic must now stop trading immediately."

The full list of charges was laid out by the GLA in a letter to Baltic company director Andris (corr) Tiltnieks (corr).

Sources say the Latvian national has around 60 foreign workers on his books from the offices he set up in 2005 on an industrial estate in Redruth.

The GLA say groups of Bulgarian workers were supplied to the UK by a subcontractor in Bulgaria called 'Perfect Staff Solutions'.

On flying into Britain legally they were instructed to call Mr Tiltniek when they got to Victoria train station to arrange transportation.

They were then hired out in different groups to various farms through another agricultural agency, Elite Labour Services, based in Penzance, Cornwall.

The men earned the minimum wage of £5.35 an hour but had money deducted for a host of administration charges they never consented to pay.

Nine workers were left without money to buy food for a period of 34 days in June and July.

They later told officials they were reduced to eating produce from the fields including potatoes, courgettes and cabbages.

Baltic also sent a letter to the workers threatening to remove water and electricity supplies from their accommodation if the rent was not paid.

The GLA letter said: "Your actions have given the GLA reason to believe you are not a fit and proper person to hold a GLA licence.

"By demanding money from your workers' while refusing to pay them they could not afford to buy food.

"This put their health at significant risk. You have also attempted to circumvent UK legislation by declaring your workers as self employed without seeking the approval of the relevant government departments."

A spokesman for Southern England Farms said the allegations had left them 'distraught'.

He said: "Baltic were very new to us, but were licensed by the GLA. Some of the workers in question were here for a brief time.

"We are extremely upset and distraught that they were subjected to the alleged treatment and were obviously unaware it was happening.

"As soon as we were made aware we immediately co-operated with the GLA to help the investigation."

Paul Elsen, owner of Elite Labour Services said: "I had no idea they were not allowed to work and no idea they were being treated badly."