Indian Workers Freed from Slavery Like Situations in Italy

Italian police rescued 33 Indian laborers from slave-like conditions in Verona, seizing €500,000 from their exploiters. Victims were trapped in debt bondage, working long hours for minimal pay. Authorities will offer protection and legal residency to those rescued.

Italian police have recently recently freed 33 Indian workers from compulsory labor similar to slavery in the north Italy’s Verona province, proving that the sources of forced labor are still active in the country. The operation was carried out on Saturday, July 13, and in addition to the weapons and drugs, police also managed to freeze 446 000 euros ($545 300) belonging to the suspects.

The suspects, who are also Indians, are alleged to have defrauded fellow Indians promising them better lives in Italy, and offered them employment with fake Italian seasonal work permits which cost each of the victims 17,000 Euros. In Italy, the laborers suffered in harsh working conditions in the farms working without days off, for 10-12 hours a day, the pay they received was 4 euros per hour. They received no wages at all, while the employers kept their documents until they cleared their dues, a situation that police deemed as slavery.

Some of the victims said they were forced to work without wages as a way of repaying another 13,000 euros towards the acquisition of permanent residence permits, which they never got.

This comes after a June accident where an Indian fruit picker lost his arm to a machine, illustrating the risks that migrants undertake in Italy’s agricultural sector.

The alleged abusers have been arrested and charged by Italian police for offenses under slavery and labor exploitation laws. The officials have informed the media that the rescued workers will be granted protection, employment, and legal immigration documents.

The case, therefore, raises awareness of the current problems of migrant workers’ rights advocacy in Italy and the wider European Union region. As more instances of labor exploitation are reported, the pressure on the authorities increases to establish and enforce more stringent legal frameworks to protect the affected individuals.

Also Read: Slavery Culture Continues: 50 Indian Students Found to Work as Slaves

It is a heart-rending experience and a painful reminder of the human lives that are being lost due to exploitative practices in the agricultural industry that still needs a significant overhaul.