This morning (29th), the gendarmerie of the province of Livorno (Livorno) in Tuscany imposed preventive detention measures on 10 suspects on suspicion of engaging in illegal intermediaries and exploiting labor. The investigation into the case began with a police inspection of the movement of people in the local migrant reception centre, Ansa news agency reported. Investigators found illegal employment of workers at six agricultural companies. The suspects exploit these migrants by exploiting them by taking advantage of their special status and situation.
The 10 suspects are all Pakistani nationals and range in age from 30 to 56. Six of them were self-employed, and the other four were involved in labor recruitment. They are accused of exploiting 67 labourers from Pakistan or Bangladesh.
The laborers were assigned to pick olives, vegetables and grapes and to carry out clean-up work in the fields of Livorno and Grosseto. Working hours of more than 10 hours per day, with no fixed rest periods and no formal employment contract. Investigators found that workers were paid between 3 and 9 euros per hour, sometimes as little as 97 euro cents. Wages are often more than 3 months in arrears or not paid at all.
In addition, the company involved in the case also violated safety and health regulations.
The police executed a preventive seizure order against the suspect's assets of about 45,000 euros. This amount is the total amount of social security premiums and insurance premiums evaded by the company involved.
(Original by Yi Yi, editor: Shu Liao, translation: Sasha, picture source: Italian gendarmerie website, please indicate Yi Yi: oushitalia)