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The boss of a city car wash has been accused of modern day slavery after the release of undercover footage of its workers.
Police have now launched a probe after a special investigation by the TV network Al Jazeera claimed to reveal shocking practices at the USA Car Wash sites in Broad Oak Road and Chartham.
The firm’s owner, Avion Elezi, has strenuously denied all the allegations made in the documentary, which is due to be screened tonight on Sky.
Producers gave a Romanian national called Claudio secret camera equipment to film the conditions and treatment of staff at the car wash while he worked there for five months.
In one scene, a worker unaware he is being filmed, says: “We are treated worse than slaves. At least the rats are free.”
A number of allegations are made in the documentary, among them claims that workers, who are largely Romanian, are paid well below the minimum wage.
Up to six employees are also shown to sleep in bunk beds in a dingy cabin, for which they are said to have to pay £40 a week in rent.
Watch: The Al Jazeera investigation
Workers claim Mr Elezi has seized passports and travel documents from his workers and enforces heavy debts of hundreds of pounds on staff for any minor damage caused to vehicles.
There is even an allegation that he punched a worker.
Claudio films the accommodation with footage showing filthy living conditions in the cabin.
He highlights mouldy windows, no running water from the sink taps and a leaking roof.
He says: “When it rains, it leaks everywhere. Everything is cracked, there is mould everywhere.
“On top of it all, the sink doesn’t even work.”
The undercover worker also films a window that will not close, adding: “In other words, we live in s**t conditions. We pay £40 a week for this.”
During the investigation, Claudio overhears workers who do not know they are being filmed, complaining about the conditions.
One says: “The car wash is pure death – you could f***ing die here.”
Another claims he is having to work for a month to pay off a debt, while there is also an allegation that one employee was charged £450 for damaging the wheels of a vacuum cleaner.
When confronted at the end of the film by reporter David Harrison Mr Elezi, an Albanian dad-of-three with British citizenship, denied all the allegations, claiming his staff only work six-hour shifts and are “happy to be here”.
He adds: “I am not modern slaving anybody. No one is breaching any laws. I work seven days a week myself.
“I’ve never ever forced anyone to stay here. You can’t do that.
“I am not keeping anyone there.”
Towards the end of filming Claudio says: “When I came here I weighed 78 kilos. Now I’m only 65. My hands were damaged by the chemicals.
“I’ve asked some of the workers why don’t they just leave. They told me they don’t have any other place to go.
“They don’t speak the language. There is nothing else to do back home so they have to accept this situation.
“Not even my mother and brother know the conditions I’ve lived in. I’ll think about this experience for the rest of my life.”
Britain’s Modern Slave Trade will be broadcast on Al Jazeera English (Freeview 108 and Sky 514) at 9pm tonight.
It is also available on YouTube and at Al Jazeera.
The car wash has recently opened a branch in Forstal Road, Aylesford.
During the documentary, Elezi boasted to a reporter posing as a prospective customer that he had contracts with major dealerships, including Lipscomb Volvo in Chartham and the Kia Harbour Garage at Whitstable.
This week, however, Lipscomb managing director Peter Barnes said it was reviewing its relationship with the USA Car Wash.
He said: “We are not making any knee-jerk reaction but the board is discussing the contract because these are very serious allegations.
“USA Car Wash also sub-contracts some staff to us who come to our site and do a very good job for which we pay above the minimum wage direct to the company.
“So we will also want to speak with staff and see documentation and want assurances and proof."
In response to the documentary, bosses of the Northgate garage group, which runs Harbour Garage, said they were “shocked and concerned” by the allegations.
In a statement released to the Gazette Mr Elezi strenuously denied the allegations made by Al Jazeera in its documentary.
He said all employees at USA Car Wash are paid the national minimum wage or above, receiving a pay rise earlier this month to comply with a government increase.
He admits that from “time to time” he has agreed reluctantly to allow workers to stay in temporary caravans on-site, but no rent is ever accepted and there is no “benefit in kind”.
He says he has never obliged any employee to live there.
He also categorically denied having ever used physical violence against any employee.
On one staff member’s claims that workers’ were treated worse than slaves, he said: “I disagree with the claims made by the individual in the film.
“I can produce many witnesses who are part of the current and former workforce who say quite the opposite.”
He added that employees are not charged for any damage caused to vehicles, and travel documents are never withheld, except to make copies for administrative purposes.
He added: “I have a large workforce which includes many long-serving employees.
“I generally enjoy a good relationship with my workers and they are treated fairly. Morale is generally high.”
After concerns raised in the documentary, police carried out welfare checks on both USA car wash sites in Canterbury and Chartham.
DI Kath Way says officers are now carrying out further inquiries.
She added: “We take allegations of modern slavery extremely seriously and we will always seek to investigate and protect vulnerable people in our society.”
She said that modern slavery, which incorporates human trafficking and labour exploitation, is high-harm and victims can be found in all types of communities: Rural, urban or coastal.
A list of signs to look out for includes:
DI Way said: “Information from the community, no matter how small or insignificant it might seem, can play a vital role in tackling modern slavery.
“If you see something suspicious call police on 101, or 999 in an emergency, or Kent Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.”
