Operations Against Labour Exploitation in the Province of Foggia

Seven agricultural companies in the province of Foggia have been subjected to judicial investigation by the Carabinieri of the Foggia operational unit and the labour inspection unit, who executed a measure issued by the Judge for Preliminary Investigations (GIP) of the court in an inquiry related to labour exploitation.

Eight Italian citizens and two foreigners have been reported to the authorities, as believed by the investigators to be responsible for the crime of labour exploitation. The investigations have allowed the reconstruction of a labour exploitation network involving dozens of workers from various ethnicities.

This result was made possible thanks to the complaints filed by the workers, supported by the trade union. The investigations reveal that the workers were engaged in vegetable harvesting in the fields for approximately 8 hours, in exchange for a wage of 4 euros per hour. The phenomenon of illegal gang mastering is connected to violations of contractual and tax regulations, which have repercussions not only on the workers themselves but on society as a whole, with the risk of improper enrichment and missing tax contributions.