Italian police arrest smugglers transporting migrants from Greece
NAN-F-43
Arrest
Lecce, (Italy), Oct. 19, 2017 (dpa/NAN) Law enforcement authorities in southern Italy have arrested seven people they suspected to have brought 150 migrants from Greece toward Italy via the Mediterranean Sea.
“The detained suspects are accused of profiting from illegal maritime migration.
“Each of the migrants from Syria, Iraq and Somalia, were made to pay 4,500 euros (5,325 dollars) for the crossing,’’ Italian police said in a statement on Thursday.
Investigations have been opened against a total of 26 people from Italy, Greece and Albania.
Investigators became aware of a smuggling ring when migrant boats landed regularly on the Apulian coast throughout 2014 and 2015.
Among those arrested are former cigarette smugglers who sensed a lucrative business opportunity in smuggling people.
Italy is currently the main point of arrival for migrants trying to reach Europe, most of them coming from Africa via the central Mediterranean route.
However, more and more migrant boats are leaving the Greek or Turkish coast for Italian shores. (Dpa/NAN)
OYE/DUA
Edited by Celine-Damilola Oyewole/Dada Ahmed