Italian authorities have apprehended 13 individuals believed to be part of a smuggling network facilitating the illegal transport of migrants from the Middle East and South Asia into Italy and onward to France.
The arrests occurred in several cities, including Bologna, Rome, and Milan, on October 21, 2024.
The suspects, hailing from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iraq, are charged with being involved in a criminal organization and money laundering.
Investigators revealed that the group was based in Turkey and Iraq, with operations extending to Italy, France, and Greece, and was specifically focused on managing the maritime transport of irregular migrants.
These migrants originated from various countries, including Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Syria, and Lebanon, and were primarily brought to the coasts of Calabria.
The organization also maintained a network to house these migrants in the Crotone area and helped them secure transportation to the Italian border with France, where further assistance was provided.
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As part of the operation, authorities seized three commercial premises linked to the suspected illegal money transfers, which utilized the informal “hawala” system, making transactions harder to trace.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni praised the arrests, reaffirming her government’s commitment to dismantling human trafficking networks.
