(ANSA) - Cosenza, September 22 - Carabinieri police arrested two brothers in the southern Calabria region on Friday as part of an operation against the local gangmaster system.
The suspects, 48 and 41, were apprehended on charges of illegal brokerage and labour exploitation with racial discrimination as an aggravating factor.
Investigators say they made African, Indian and Romanian immigrants work illegally on their farm and paid them according to skin colour.
Whites allegedly earned 35 euros a day and blacks 25 euros. The arrests came on the heels of a probe into the alleged exploitation of migrants at local reception centres.
The migrants, mostly from Nigeria, Gambia, Senegal and Guinea Bissau, were allegedly picked up from near the "Ninfa Marina" reception centre and taken to work on the farm. Property and other assets with a total value of 2 million euros have been confiscated. "Labour exploitation aggravated by racial discrimination is intolerable from every point of view," Agriculture Minister Maurizio Martina said.
Two arrested in gangmaster probe, accused of pay racism
White migrant workers allegedly earned more