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The Finance Police of the Provincial Command of Trento they performed a preventive seizure of assets and funds for over 521,000 eurosissued by the GIP of the Rovereto Court, against seven people (six of Pakistani nationality and one Italian) accused of illicit brokerage, exploitation of labor and violation of immigration laws.
The investigations, initiated by the Economic and Financial Police Unit of Trento and coordinated by the Rovereto Public Prosecutor’s Officehave revealed serious irregularitiesin a company in Vallagarina operating in the paper sector, managed by individuals of Pakistani nationality.
From 2021 to 2023, the latter they would have exploited the employees, forcing them to work many more hours than the part-time contracts stipulatedwith real wages much lower than those declared (they worked from 9 to 13 hours a day, well beyond the legal limit of 48 hours per week and that of 250 hours of overtime per year; they also received compensation ranging from 500 to 700 euros per month, equal to an actual hourly wage of 4 – 5 euros per hour).
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The discovery of extra-accounting documentation revealed that the workers, while receiving formal pay slips from 1,000 to 1,800 euroshad to return a large part of their wages to their employers in cash. In addition, employees were obliged to remit money to Pakistan, at the request of their employers (over 102,000.00 euros were illegally transferred abroad in one year)
“During the course of their service, it was found that the employees were not given either the contract or the pay slips, so as to make them unaware of both their rights and their entitlements. According to the investigations, the aforementioned pay slips were artfully modified in such a way as not to report, on the one hand, the actual number of hours worked, and on the other, the fictitious indication of permits, holidays, the thirteenth month and the severance pay installments.
Furthermore, although the company declared that it would provide its employees with accommodation and meal vouchers, as fringe benefits, in order to take advantage of these benefits the workers had to pay “under the table” a monthly sum of up to 200 Euros for a bed-space (in accommodation with 10/15 other compatriots), they were obliged to do the food shopping, for about 150 euros per month, at a shop linked to some of the suspects, where, over the course of three years, they “cashed in” almost 22,000 electronic meal vouchers, equal to over 152,000.00 euros.” it is read in a note.
The investigations also brought to light numerous violations of workplace safety regulations. The defendants would also have exploited an amnesty for the emergence of employment relationships, theinducing some employees to hire Pakistani workers as family collaborators in exchange for a payment of 6,000 euros.
The Rovereto Public Prosecutor’s Office requested and obtained the preventive seizure of the assets, including real estate, vehicles, company shares and funds in the bank accounts of the suspects. The judicial authority has issued the notice of closure of the preliminary investigations and formulated the request for referral to trial. The operation underlines the effectiveness of the collaboration between the Guardia di Finanza and the Judicial Authority to protect the market economy and honest entrepreneurs.
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