The Italian police announced on Wednesday that they had arrested 12 individuals suspected of being involved in human trafficking operations, organizing the illegal transport of at least 73 migrants by speedboats from Tunisia to Europe. According to a statement from the police, experts in operating speedboats transported the migrants from Tunisia to the port of Marzamemi on the island of Sicily between June and September of last year, which they described as "VIP trips."
The statement noted that the traffickers transported relatively small groups of up to 20 individuals on each of the four trips, charging fees of 6,000 euros (6,500 dollars) per person. An informed official mentioned that a journey on a crowded and less seaworthy vessel typically costs less than 1,000 euros per migrant. Italy and other European governments have taken an increasingly tough stance on immigration in recent years, amid a rise in the number of asylum seekers and illegal migrants.
Data from the European Union shows that fewer than 100,000 illegal migrants arrived in Europe in 2020, but that number rose to 250,000 last year. The police arrested six Tunisians and six Italians as part of an investigation coordinated by the European police agency (Europol) and the Italian anti-mafia police unit. Investigators stated that a former Tunisian police officer is managing the human trafficking organization responsible for these operations.
They also detained 19 illegal migrants and eight Tunisian boat operators last year during the first phase of the investigation. Charges were filed against four crew members for firing maritime signal flares at a military vessel while attempting to escape before their arrest.
Data from the Ministry of the Interior indicates that since the beginning of the year, 4,247 illegal migrants have reached Italian shores, a figure lower than over 12,500 during the same period in 2023, when Italy experienced unprecedented pressure from the number of arrivals attempting to reach Europe. Tunisia has become the main departure point from North Africa for those wishing to escape poverty and conflict in other African countries and the Middle East in hopes of a better life in Europe. This month, 17 migrants went missing during a maritime journey that departed from Tunisia, and at least nine others have died in separate incidents.
