Italian police dismantle migrant smuggler syndicate

Italian police have dismantled a major people smuggling syndicate run by a group of Egyptians, Sudanese, Eastern Europeans and Italians, Agence France Presse (AFP) reports.

Italian police announced the arrests of 13 people on 30 January following an extensive two year investigation into the criminal network responsible for the illegal and often dangerous transportation of hundreds of people across Europe.

The network based in Milan exploited vulnerable migrants by charging large sums of money to smuggle them across borders, often subjecting them to physical abuse and inhumane conditions.

Over two years, Italian police were able to successfully piece together 62 transit routes used by the smugglers to identify the perpetrators of this cruel crime.

Africa to Europe, smugglers are cashing on migrants pursuing illegal entry to Europe earning a reported $150m according to the UN Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Often migrants are forced to pay more as they move from one group of smugglers to another at multiple points in their journeys.

The arrests are a significant achievement for the Italian authorities in tackling organized criminal gangs.