Italian border-police intensified spot checks along the Alpine frontier at Bardonecchia this week, stopping a packed nine-seat vehicle on the A32 motorway and identifying two Pakistani nationals without valid residence permits. According to the Questura di Torino, the pair were held overnight at the immigration office and escorted on 18 September to Bergamo-Orio al Serio airport, where they were placed on a charter flight to Islamabad under the EU-Pakistan readmission agreement. The removal operation underscores Italy’s tougher interior-ministry guidelines on so-called “secondary movements” of third-country nationals across internal Schengen borders. Bardonecchia has become a focal point after France repeatedly turned back asylum seekers attempting to cross into Haute-Savoie, prompting Italian authorities to step up joint patrols with the Guardia di Finanza. For international companies relocating non-EU staff, the case highlights the importance of carrying original residence documentation when travelling domestically or transiting between Schengen states, as ad-hoc controls can occur even within the border-free zone when security alerts are high. The Questura reported that seven other passengers, all legally resident in Italy or France, were released, but the driver was fined for overcrowding and for facilitating illegal stay. More multi-agency sweeps are planned ahead of the All-Saints holiday exodus, when mixed traffic on mountain passes surges.
Source: Torino Oggi
