The liberation of the workers follows an incident in which an Indian worker died in a work accident near Rome. This incident sparked a debate about the poor working conditions in the Italian agricultural sector.
Following this accident, the Italian government has tightened controls on illegal labor and exploitation in the agricultural sector. This happens a few times every year, but structurally little is done against the large-scale hiring of illegal foreign laborers in the Italian countryside.
The farm workers in Verona worked seven days a week, twelve hours a day, for a wage of only four euros per hour. Police discovered that some workers had to pay 13,000 euros for a non-existent work permit.
Assets worth 475,000 euros belonging to the two suspects were seized. These suspects own two agricultural businesses without official employees.
This case is part of a larger problem of labor exploitation in Europe, where migrants often work under deplorable conditions in low-paid sectors such as agriculture. Italy, like many other European countries, faces a labor shortage, which is partly filled by migrants.
The Italian government has pledged to take tougher action against companies that engage in such practices and has announced measures to improve protection for migrant workers. This includes enhanced inspections and stricter penalties for exploiters.
The issue of labor exploitation is not limited to Italy. It is a widespread problem across Europe and requires a coordinated approach at the international level. Migrant workers from countries like India, as well as from Africa and Eastern Europe, are often vulnerable to exploitation due to their precarious legal status and lack of protection.
International organizations and labor rights activists advocate for better protection of migrant workers and stricter enforcement of labor laws to prevent exploitation. They also call for better information provision to migrants about their rights and the risks of illegal work.