Authorities Free 107 Slave Workers

Mexican authorities freed 107 slave laborers in a Mexico City factory that was masquerading as a drug-rehabilitation facility on Thursday. Dozens of suspects were arrested for allegedly physically and mentally abusing the victims, who ranged in age from 14 to 70. All of the captives suffered from severe dehydration and malnutrition and some also endured sexual assaults, the city’s attorney general said. They were reportedly locked in the factory building with bars on its windows. They worked 16 hours a day making handbags and clothespins for no pay, and were not permitted bathroom breaks, officials report. They were given one daily meal that consisted of chicken legs and rotten vegetables. The suspects allegedly abducted most of the victims from the streets after leading them to believe they’d receive treatment for alcohol and drug addiction. Some family members, however, brought in their loved ones thinking they would be treated for their addictions. Officials say thousands of others could have undergone similar exploitation during the eight years the phony hospital has been open.