Italy jails Romanian man for 20 years over human trafficking ring

An Italian court has sentenced a Romanian man to 20 years in prison for human trafficking after a Guardian investigation revealed that thousands of women from Romania were being raped and used as forced labour on farms in Sicily.

In what investigators claim is Italy’s first conviction for labour trafficking of European citizens, Lucian Milea, 41, was convicted last week of running a trafficking ring that recruited dozens of women in Romania who were then forced into exploitation and prostitution on farms in Ragusa, Sicily.

Two Romanian women were sentenced alongside Milea for aiding and abetting underage prostitution. The trial of another three Romanian nationals charged with human trafficking is ongoing.

Twelve women who were trafficked from Romania to Italy assisted police with their investigations. Their lawyer, Liliana Battaglia, commended their bravery and said the case had exposed modern slavery at the heart of Italy’s agricultural production.

Ragusa is one of Italy’s biggest producers of fruit and vegetables, which are exported to countries across the EU.

Read more via The Guardian