Italian tax police free 33 Indian workers from ‘slave-like’ conditions on farms

ROME (AP) — Italy’s tax police say they have freed 33 Indian farm workers from “slave-like working conditions” in the northern province of Verona, while seizing almost half a million euros from the two alleged gangmasters. Police said the two alleged abusers, also Indians, persuaded their fellow nationals to come to Italy, paying 17,000 euros each to obtain seasonal working permits. The men were then obliged to work on farms for seven days a week and up to 10-12 hours a day, paid only 4 euros per hour, in conditions that the Italian police described as “slavery.”