Italian farm network busted for exploiting migrant seasonal workers in Trento
Police in Trento dismantled a criminal group led by an Italian entrepreneur that forced dozens of migrant laborers, including Romanians, into abusive work conditions and seized assets worth roughly 800,000 euros.
Investigators from the Trento Financial Guard and the Provincial Labor Service identified a criminal organization centered on a local agribusiness owner and five relatives, four of whom are Moroccan nationals. Between 2018 and 2024 the group recruited seasonal workers from Morocco, Romania, India, Nigeria, Pakistan and Cameroon under Italy's migration-flow decree, then subjected them to substandard housing, mandatory nightly fees, and extreme overtime—often exceeding legal limits.
Pay rates were markedly lower than national collective-bargaining standards, and workers were forced to cover daily expenses through additional charges. The operation generated illicit profits estimated in the hundreds of thousands of euros, prompting a court-ordered seizure of assets worth roughly 800,000 euros. The suspects now face charges of organized crime, labor exploitation, and aggravated fraud.
Why it matters
It highlights the vulnerability of migrant workers and the need for stronger enforcement against labor exploitation in Europe.
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