5 Egyptians accused of smuggling migrants direct to Sicily

RIPRODUZIONE RISERVATA

By ASSOCIATED PRESS

Published: November 26, 2018

ROME — Italian police say they have detained five Egyptians accused of smuggling a boatload of 264 migrants from Libya to Sicily.

The overloaded fishing boat pulled into the Ragusa port Saturday, its third day at sea, and the migrants disembarked and were registered.

Police said Monday that the migrants, most of them from Eritrea, identified the five Egyptian crew who charged them 1,500 euros apiece for the passage.

While most migrants are rescued at sea before reaching Italy, some do occasionally make it if their original boat is sturdy enough.

Overall, migrant crossings to Italy began decreasing in 2017, after Italy's previous government negotiated deals with Libyan leaders and militias. The numbers have dropped further after the current government cracked down on humanitarian groups operating rescue missions in the Mediterranean.

5 Egyptians accused of smuggling migrants direct to Sicily - ABC News

Disembark at Pozzallo, stop 5 smugglers

Ragusa mobile team identifies the entire crew of the boat

ANSA) - POZZALLO (RAGUSA), 26 NOV - Five Egyptians accused of being the alleged smugglers of the boat, with 264 migrants on board, almost all Eritreans, arrived two days ago in the port of Pozzallo were stopped by the State police. The alleged smugglers are accused of facilitating illegal immigration.
According to the witnesses listened to by the Dubrovnik Squad, they were the members of the entire crew that was at the helm of the boat. Each migrant would have paid € 1,500 to reach Italy, for a 'cash-out' for the organizers of the traffic of men of almost $ 400,000. On the five, before being taken to prison, surveys were carried out by the police of the Police Headquarters of Ragusa.