Exploitation of migrants in Italy: a murderous harvest

In southern Italy, four migrant agricultural workers were found dead inside a burning van near Amendolara on June 2, according to police reports. The victims, all men from Afghanistan and Pakistan aged between 19 and 29, were working on a farm owned by Tenute Zuccarella, a local agribusiness firm known for its high-tech greenhouses producing strawberries, mangos, and avocados. Surviving worker Taj Mohammad Alamyar told investigators that his employer had poured gasoline into the vehicle after a dispute over unpaid wages before setting it ablaze. He claimed he had been threatened with a knife and forced to work without pay, and that he had escaped by opening the trunk and fleeing. The incident has sparked outrage over the exploitation of migrant labor in Italian agriculture, which is often linked to organized criminal networks. These groups, referred to locally as caporali, are accused of recruiting and exploiting foreign workers through illegal means, including withholding wages and subjecting them to physical threats. According to surveillance footage recovered from a nearby gas station, two men circled the van, one pressing against its doors while smoke began to rise from within. The video, lasting just seconds, captures the moment the fire broke out, though the exact sequence of events leading to the deaths remains under investigation. The farm owner, Rocco Zuccarella, has denied direct involvement in the killings, stating that he had contracted a third-party agency to manage the hiring of seasonal workers. In interviews with local media, he claimed that payments were made via bank transfer and that he had never met the migrants personally. However, survivors and witnesses have contradicted this account, reporting that they received only 45 euros per day in cash, far below the official rate of 350 euros for five days of work. Alamyar further alleged that he and his colleagues had not been paid since April 20, despite working long hours, up to six and a half hours daily, with no breaks. Despite these allegations, Tenute Zuccarella continues to receive substantial European Union subsidies. According to data from Italy’s transparency register, the company received over 200,000 euros in 2024 and more than 680,000 euros in 2025, totaling nearly 900,000 euros in two years. The firm operates approximately 300 hectares of land and generates around 15 million euros annually in revenue. While the government has acknowledged widespread violations of labor laws in the sector, it has yet to take decisive action against companies suspected of complicity in human rights abuses. The case highlights a broader issue: the continued flow of EU agricultural subsidies to farms where migrant workers face dangerous conditions and systemic abuse. Over 50 billion euros are allocated annually through the Common Agricultural Policy, much of which goes to large-scale operations that rely heavily on cheap, undocumented labor. Investigations into such cases are often slow, and legal protections for migrant workers remain weak, leaving many vulnerable to exploitation and violence. Authorities are currently examining whether the farm owner or associated parties knew of the exploitative practices carried out by subcontractors. Meanwhile, the surviving worker has filed a formal complaint with the police, seeking justice for his murdered colleagues. As the investigation unfolds, questions remain about how such a system can continue to thrive while so many workers suffer under its weight.