Scores of Chinese construction workers were rescued from slavery-like conditions at a BYD factory site in Brazil, according to authorities. BYD plans to terminate its contract with Jinjiang Construction.

Authorities say workers slept on beds without mattresses, ate dirty food, and had to share one bathroom among 31 people

BYD Co. has severed ties with a construction firm after Brazilian authorities halted construction of a new electric-vehicle plant where workers were found working and living in “slavery”-like conditions.

"Slavery-like conditions", as defined by Brazilian law, include debt bondage and work that violates human dignity. The MPT added that the situation also constitutes "forced labour", as many workers had their wages withheld and faced excessive costs for terminating their contracts. BYD said affected workers had been moved to hotels.

The Chinese automaker is known for using cheap labor to reduce the price of its EVs, with Brazil becoming its largest overseas market.

More than 160 Chinese workers have been saved from "slave-like conditions" in Brazil, where they had been building an electric car factory for Chinese giant BYD, officials said Tuesday.

Brazilian officials found 163 Chinese nationals working in "slavery-like conditions" at a construction site for a factory owned by Chinese electric vehicle producer BYD in Brazil's Bahia state, the local labor prosecutor's office said on Monday.