A woman is accused of illegally subletting her council flat in Bologna to undocumented migrants accused of committing robberies and smuggling drugs, Carabinieri and local police said on Wednesday, April 23.

In particular, the woman and her partner slept in the living room and sublet the apartment's bedrooms to irregular migrants, they explained.

Investigators discovered the scam during an operation at the council house located in Bologna's Via Tibaldi, which was requested by the Emilia-Romagna council house department ACER after several residents had reported the case to the authorities.

The 30-year-old Italian woman, who has been reported to the police, is likely to lose her council flat.

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Illegal residents paid 150 euros a month say investigators

Carabinieri police from Bologna's Navile station and local police inspected the apartment twice last month, within a few days, and found on both occasions that five foreigners, all undocumented and from Maghreb, were living there.Each person allegedly paid 150 euros a month for the sleeping accommodations.

Police, with the aid of anti-drugs dogs, found in the home some 40 grams of cocaine and 25 of hashish, as well as stolen watches, iPads, about 10 smartphones and 2,000 euros in cash.

Charges against woman

The Italian woman is accused of aiding and abetting and exploiting illegal immigration. She has also been reported to the authorities, along with her Italian partner and the foreign citizens to whom she sublet the bedrooms, for receiving stolen goods and drug possession and smuggling.

Once the investigation has been completed, ACER will begin procedures to revoke the assignment of the council flat to the woman who had reportedly inherited it from her late mother.