RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) – 163 Chinese workers found at a construction site at a factory owned by Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD ( SZ: ) in the Brazilian state of Bahia were victims of international human trafficking, local labor authorities said.
A statement issued late Thursday said BYD and contractor Jinjiang Group had agreed to house workers in hotels until negotiations over a termination agreement with workers could be reached, although both companies disagreed with the authorities’ assessment.
BYD did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Reuters was unable to reach Jinjiang for comment outside normal business hours.
