Their capacity to evade is legendary and the robust trade in in grain, meat and oil had sustained the economy : until now. They were in total collapse in recent months and the state, usually an arm of the mob was compelled to bite the bullet andmove on them. An asset or wealth tax was assesed, at 3 to 5 percent of wealth. They collected an unbelievable sum of two and a half billion. Not a moment too late, their covid numbers are crushing and they have no place to turn to now. The dominant group is Italian, they had flocked in after the end of the First World War.
