Taranto, labor exploitation and illegal immigration. The State Police executes 7 precautionary measures

At the first light of dawn this morning, the State Police has executed an order implementing precautionary and real measures, issued by the GIP at the Court of Taranto, at the request of the Taranto Prosecutor's Office, against seven individuals deemed to be presumed responsible for the crimes of criminal association aimed at illicit intermediation and exploitation of labor, as well as aiding and abetting the presence of illegal foreigners on the national territory.

The three alleged organizers are subject to the prison measure, the two alleged participants are subject to house arrest, while two others are subject to a ban on residing in the Municipality of Taranto.

The investigations of the Flying Squad, under the coordination of the Taranto Public Prosecutor's Office, began from the report of a theft that occurred in the home of an elderly woman who was using the services of a carer of Georgian origin.

The investigations allowed to gather useful evidence to believe that, behind the cover of a social promotion association, the woman, in her capacity as organizer, found Georgian women (irregulars on the national territory) available to provide assistance to the elderly, placed them in apartments linked to the organization and, having identified a suitable "client", managed the subsequent work activity.

In particular, the woman was assisted by the two Georgians who were subjected to the prison measure and by the two Italians who were subjected to house arrest.

The organization received the entire salary intended for the caregivers in cash directly from the families of the elderly people assisted, withholding monthly amounts between 150 and 300 euros from the sums intended for the women.

Discouraging them from regularizing their status in Italy, the organization failed to pay welfare and social security contributions, forcing them to work well beyond the 54 hours a week, as well as paying 7 euros a day for the accommodation in which they were hosted.

During the investigation, eleven injured people were identified although the exploited workers are many more.

At the request of the Ionian Public Prosecutor's Office, the GIP also ordered the preventive seizure of the current accounts and active financial relationships of all the suspects, two properties (one of which used as the headquarters of the association) and a car.

It is believed that the alleged turnover of the illicit activity carried out by the association is of considerable value and still to be quantified in the continuation of the investigations.