Two men in Italy have been placed under house arrest for charges including illegal intermediation, gangmastering, labor exploitation, and violating residency laws for foreigners. They will appear before judges following an investigation by the Asti Public Prosecution Office in Piedmont. The case was uncovered in the vineyards of the Langhe area. Video evidence shows one of the accused threatening workers with an iron rod.
Two men, one of Moroccan and the other of Macedonian nationality, have been placed under house arrest, while another person from Albania has been temporarily banned from exercising professional activities.
These measures were carried out by the State Police of Cuneo in the northwestern Italian region of Piedmont, and the rulings were issued by the Judge of the Asti Court.
The investigation revealed that farm workers, mainly foreigners, who attempted to resist the conditions imposed by the alleged gangmasters were subjected to violence.
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'Exploitation cases of agriculture laborers in the Langhe wine yards'
The investigations by the police squad in Cuneo began last year in response to numerous reports from civil rights and labor rights organizations. These reports focused on the exploitation of agricultural laborers, predominantly Africans working in activities related to vineyard and winemaking industries in the Langhe region, renowned for wines such as Moscato, Barbera, Nebbiolo, and Barolo.
During the investigation, cases of violent physical attacks against laborers protesting against exploitative conditions were confirmed. Additionally, a real estate property and five vehicles -- cars and trucks used by those under investigation to transport laborers to work -- were seized.
Also read: Foreign workers contribute to 32% of Italian agricultural output, says farmers association
'Threatened with an iron rod'
The police operation owes its name -- 'Iron Rod', in English -- to the long rod that a Moroccan 'gangmaster' is seen threatening foreign farmhands with, in a video secretly taken by one of the workers on a mobile phone.
The man with the rod is one of the two placed under house arrest, along with another alleged 'gangmaster' of Macedonian nationality.
In total, the workers identified and named by the police in three separate inquiries are 50.