Police arrest cleaning staff with fake papers

33 cleaning staff at the University of Copenhagen were forced to show papers and prove their identities Monday morning, as Copenhagen police raided four different addresses on campus, writes our Danish section Universitetsavisen and other media.

Nine of the cleaners were subsequently taken to the station. Several of them will be charged with using false identities, illegal residency in Denmark and illegal work permits, says Kjeld Farcinsen of Copenhagen police’s foreign nationals control unit.

The nine arrested cleaning staff are from Ghana, Turkey, Thailand and Iraq, and the first of them have already been presented before a judge. One of them will be held in custody for ten days.

From private cleaning company

According to Kjeld Farcinsen a woman said that she, for a monthly fee of 50 per cent of her salary as well as pension and holiday money payments, had leased a fake identity, allowing her the opportunity of living and working in Denmark.

»Behind this are cynical backers who exploit people who are here illegally,« says Kjeld Farcinsen.

The arrested cleaning staff were all hired by the company Forenede Service, which the University of Copenhagen uses for cleaning and canteens, including the one at the Faculty of the Humanities.

Uni co-operated with police

The investigations have taken place in close co-operation with the University of Copenhagen, allowing police to carry out the raid, and keep it a secret, Kjeld Farcinsen says.

The company Forenede Service had made a thorough check of staff, he says. The company could not have done more than it did, and will not be charged.

Campus Service head at the Faculty of Humanities, Stig Andersen, says to the union magazine Fagbladet 3F, that the arrests will have no consequences for the co-operation with Forenede Service.

miy@adm.ku.dk

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