Palermo: They sold the “Italian Dream” for 11 thousand euros to their fellow countrymen, clandestine immigration association stopped

The police officers of the Flying Squads of Palermo and Agrigento, as well as the local branch of the Central Operations Service, have executed the arrest warrant issued against a suspect in a crime citizen Egyptian held responsible, together with other suspects currently being identified, for criminal association aimed at aiding illegal immigration in the aggravated form.

The restrictive measure, carried out in the province of Milano, was adopted as part of a complex investigative activity, initiated by the aforementioned Investigative Offices and coordinated by the Palermo District Anti-Mafia Directorate, concerning an alleged transnational criminal association dedicated to the trafficking of migrants, mainly of Egyptian nationality. This network would avail itself of the operational support of some traffickers based in Libya as managers of the safe houses where migrants are detained, tortured and destined for subsequent transfer to the Italian coasts, upon payment of the due fee.

In this context, the serious responsibilities of the person under investigation today would have emerged, as he would have organized, in a serial manner and for profit, the illegal journey of an indefinite number of his compatriots, who left Egypt and arrived in Lampedusa starting from 2022.

In the same investigative investigations it was also found that the cost of a single trip to Italy would amount to approximately 11.000 euros, a price that could be discounted due to the friendship with the facilitator.

In this broad investigative framework, the execution of the aforementioned restrictive measure took place at the same time as the operation conducted by the State Police in the Lombard capital and coordinated by the District Anti-Mafia Directorate of Milano against ten other Egyptians, considered responsible for the same crimes.

This latest provision, adopted by the Milanese Public Prosecutor's Office, accepts the results of a parallel investigative activity started on a criminal group active in the Milanese hinterland, which would manage the transfers of Egyptians arriving in Europe.