Police seize €12 million of assets from exploiter of migrants

 The Italian authorities have seized assets worth €12 million from a Sicilian businessman who had been living in Italy's northern region of Emilia Romagna. The seizure was part of efforts to crack down on undocumented migration and under-the-table labor.

The Italian authorities have seized the shares and the entire corporation of 14 companies including one in Sweden and one in Bulgaria as well as 32 real estate properties comprising both buildings and plots of land, 110 vehicles including tractors and trailers, and numerous other financial assets from a well-established businessman.

The seizure was carried out by the anti-crime division of the Piacenza police force with support from the central anti-crime service.

The businessman comes originally from Sicily but had for years been living in the Emilia Romagna region, in Italy's north-east and worked in the road transport sector.

The operation began on the morning of December 12 both in Piacenza as well as the Italian provinces of Milan, Pavia, Cremona, Catania, Messina and Trapani.

It was part of a wider effort to crack down on undocumented migration and the exploitation of under-the-table labor.

The seizure order was issued under anti-mafia regulations by the Bologna court.

The Sicilian businessman, who had previously been sentenced for incitement to and exploitation of prostitution in November 2022, had then fled an order of house arrest issued as part of Operation Hermes.

Operation Hermes was conducted by the Piacenza police on charges of aiding and abetting clandestine migration, illicit brokering and labor exploitation, as well as crimes against public faith.

The inquiry led to the discovery of a 'system' to facilitate the illegal entry into Italy and the exploitation of foreign nationals (Brazilians, Moldavians, and Turks), who after having handed over large sums of money, were given false documents and professional certifications to be able to be employed as truckers in Italian and foreign companies linked to the businessman.