UN criticises 'despicable' exploitation of migrants by mafia

The UN's refugee agency on Friday slammed as "despicable" and "extremely worrying" the infiltration of a criminal network in Italy's system for housing asylum seekers and recently arrived migrants.

Anti-mafia police have arrested dozens of businessmen and politicians accused of links to a Rome-based outfit headed by a powerful one-eyed mobster who thrived on rigging public contracts and skimming cash off migrant centres.

"It is despicable that often only the smallest part of funds destined for asylum seekers and refugees reach the intended recipients," Laurens Jolles, the UNHCR's regional representative for Southern Europe, said in a statement.

With thousands of migrants rescued off Italy's coast each week, the country has been forced to improvise by turning hotels and old people's homes into welcome centres, with managers or charities paid to house and feed those taken in.

But there had long been reports of some taking in as many people as possible for financial gain, while making savings by forcing migrants to sleep in overcrowded rooms and skimping on food.

Police arrested 44 people in a dawn sting on Tuesday aimed at dismembering the network following the arrest in December of one-eyed boss Massimo Carminati.

Carminati's right-hand man was caught on a police wiretap saying, "Have you any idea how much I earn from the migrants? The drug trade is less profitable."

The UN agency has previously flagged up problems with specific centres but said "we thought such situations were caused by inadequacy on a local level."

"It is extremely worrying to learn that they often are caused by a wide and structured system of corruption," it said.

The price "is being paid above all by people fleeing war and persecution," Jolles said, calling for tighter controls on those applying to run migrant centres and a constant monitoring of structures housing those in need.