Italian police have rescued 33 Indian farm laborers from slave-like working conditions in the northern Verona province, highlighting the ongoing issue of exploitation of migrant workers in the country.
According to authorities, two Indian individuals were arrested for luring the workers to Italy with promises of jobs and a better future, only to exploit them once they arrived. The police have seized approximately $545,300 from the suspects.
This incident comes in the wake of a tragic accident where an Indian fruit picker lost his arm and had his legs crushed while working in the fields. The employer is now under investigation for criminal negligence and manslaughter.
The rescued workers were promised entry into Italy and seasonal work permits by their employers, but upon arrival, they were forced to work long hours for meager wages, which were used to pay off the debt they owed their employers. Their passports were confiscated, and they were not allowed to leave their substandard living conditions.
The workers were living in deplorable conditions, in violation of health and hygiene regulations. They were transported to the fields each day hidden among boxes of vegetables.
Fortunately, the rescued workers have received their passports back and are being assisted by social services and a migration organization to find safer housing and working conditions.
The exploitation of farm laborers, both Italian and migrant, is a well-known issue in Italy, with thousands of workers toiling in dangerous conditions without proper contracts or fair wages. The gangmaster system, known as “caporalato,” continues to affect undocumented laborers across various sectors in the country.
Despite being outlawed in 2016, the practice persists, with nearly a quarter of the agricultural workforce in Italy employed under this exploitative method. The recent rescue of the Indian farm laborers sheds light on the urgent need to address and eradicate the exploitation of vulnerable workers in Italy.
