According to Radio Prague, the police operation covered all regions of the country. In addition to illegal migrant workers, 25 people with forged documents and 350 administrative offenders were detained.
"Checks were carried out at companies where foreigners work, as well as in restaurants, nightclubs, and on trains," commented Police President Tomáš Tuhý. The raids affected 537 production companies, restaurants, bars, and various entertainment venues.
According to Interior Minister Milan Chovanec, the number of detained foreigners illegally entering the country or working at Czech firms is too high. The raid showed that abuse of Polish Schengen visas and residence permits, which do not grant the right to work, is widespread. Most often, according to the minister, these cases involve citizens of Ukraine and Moldova.
Police President Tomáš Tuhý stated that the number of detainees with forged or altered Romanian passports has increased. Ukrainian citizens again appear most frequently on the list of offenders.
Operations to check foreigners' documents, as reported by Milan Majer, director of the foreign police, are conducted constantly in the Czech Republic – up to 10,000 raids per month. The largest number of offenders is in Prague, Central Bohemia, and the Ústí nad Labem Region.
Illegal migrant workers help Czech firms cope with an acute shortage of staff. "The Czech labor market is empty. There is nowhere to recruit staff. So various illegal and semi-legal employment options are used," believes Roman Kubričan from the Association of Employment Agencies.
Czech legislators have again taken up the issue of employing foreigners. A review of current regulations is coming. The possibility of tightening sanctions for companies that do not take sufficient care of their foreign workers is being considered.
"Companies that do not pay social and health insurance contributions for their employees, and do not care about what happens to their workers after dismissal, may end up on a blacklist of irresponsible employers. They will be banned from hiring foreign employees," emphasizes Interior Minister Milan Chovanec.