Cala Millor Restaurant Shut After Authorities Report Labour Exploitation and Food-Safety Failures

A joint inspection ends in immediate closure

The inspection took place at about 1pm on 23 July in Cala Millor, within the municipality of Sant Llorenç des Cardassar. It followed information initially requested by the Local Police of Sant Llorenç over possible labour exploitation involving foreign workers in an irregular situation.

The matter was then passed to the Foreigners Subgroup of Spain’s National Police station in Manacor. Investigators carried out further checks and confirmed the information supplied by the local police before the wider operation took place.

The participating public bodies were:

• Spain’s National Police, including its Foreigners Subgroup in Manacor.
• The Local Police of Sant Llorenç des Cardassar.
• Spain’s Labour Inspectorate.
• The Balearic Government’s health and housing departments.

The operation found problems in several areas at once: the employment status and working hours of staff, the conditions in which food was handled, and the rooms where some employees were living. Those findings led to the restaurant’s immediate closure.

The scene after the order

Inspectors recorded 13-hour working days

Of the 15 workers present during the inspection, Spain’s National Police reported that three were in an irregular situation in Spain. The other 12 were registered as working half-time, despite reportedly working 13 hours a day, seven days a week.

The discrepancy between the recorded employment arrangements and the hours described by inspectors is central to the possible labour case. The authorities did not present the matter as a simple paperwork issue: the Foreigners Group opened expulsion files in relation to the three workers in an irregular situation and continued investigating whether those responsible for the establishment may have committed an offence against workers’ rights.

The main figures from the inspection are:

The employment-status breakdown recorded during the inspection was:

The labour concerns identified in the supplied police account included:

• Three workers were present in Spain in an irregular situation.
• Twelve other workers were registered for half-time employment.
• Those 12 workers were reported to be working 13 hours each day.
• The reported schedule ran across all seven days of the week.
• Authorities continued examining whether the conditions could amount to an offence against workers’ rights.

Food handling and worker accommodation raised separate concerns

The Balearic Government’s health inspectors identified multiple deficiencies in refrigeration, food handling and cooking. The restaurant was reportedly failing to maintain the cold chain, was not separating foods properly and was preparing food without basic hygiene measures.

The conditions around the kitchen and storage areas also affected the accommodation provided to employees. Housing inspectors identified nine rooms that lacked the minimum conditions considered necessary for dignified living. The rooms were shared, had no private bathrooms, lacked ventilation and were described as very dirty.

Several of the rooms were directly beside the kitchen and food-storage areas. Inspectors also reported a strong smell of food. The proximity between sleeping spaces, food preparation and storage areas formed part of the wider set of conditions recorded during the operation.

The main findings by area were:

A kitchen connected to the accommodation

The closure does not end the administrative or legal process

The restaurant was given 10 days to resolve the health and other deficiencies if it is to reopen. That period is separate from any administrative sanctions the business may face. The closure therefore functions as an immediate public-health and safety measure, while other proceedings continue through the relevant authorities.

The English-language account of the Mallorca inspection likewise described the order as an immediate closure following findings involving food hygiene and workers’ living conditions.

The follow-up now involves several distinct tracks:

1. The business must address the deficiencies identified by health and housing inspectors within the stated 10-day period if it seeks to reopen.
2. The relevant administrative authorities may continue with sanctions independently of the closure order.
3. Spain’s National Police has opened expulsion files concerning the three workers in an irregular situation.
4. The Foreigners Group is continuing to examine whether the establishment’s responsible parties may have committed an offence against workers’ rights.
5. The Local Police of Sant Llorenç is reviewing possible breaches involving permits, licences and other documentation.

The restaurant manager disputes the allegations

The restaurant’s manager disputed the authorities’ account in comments reported by Ultima Hora. According to the manager’s response, the allegations were false and the closure had resulted only from a broken dishwasher.

That account conflicts with the findings described by Spain’s National Police and the Balearic Government inspection teams, which listed failures involving the cold chain, food separation, hygiene, worker registration and accommodation. The supplied information does not indicate that the possible offence against workers’ rights has been judicially established; it says the investigation is continuing.

The following questions can be answered from the inspection record currently available:

The case therefore remains open on several fronts: the restaurant’s ability to correct the health and housing deficiencies, possible administrative sanctions, the documentation review by Sant Llorenç Local Police and the ongoing examination of the labour conditions.

The central facts are: