Lampedusa, death on the route from Libya: six illegal smugglers arrested

Lampedusa (Agrigento), death on the route from Libya: six illegal smugglers arrested.

The State Police of Agrigento, following an intense and detailed investigative activity carried out at the Lampedusa Hot Spot, in synergy and under the directives of the Public Prosecutor's Office at the Court of Agrigento, carried out an arrest order, in comparisons of six Egyptian subjects seriously suspected of the crime of aiding and abetting illegal immigration and murder.

The survey originates from the numerous landings that continue incessantly in Lampedusa, despite the typically winter adverse weather conditions; however, they continue to take place in a context of evident difficulties connected with the health situation, continuously monitored within the Lampedusa Hot Spot.

From the results of the detailed investigative activity, precise and serious elements emerged collected against six Egyptian subjects, aged
between 32 and 40 years old who, in moral and material competition with each other, in violation of the rules established by the Consolidated Immigration Act
illegally, had transported more than 70 non-EU citizens to Italian territory, for whom the status of irregular foreigners was then ascertained, taking them from the Libyan coasts towards Italian territorial waters, on board an overcrowded boat of approximately 10 meters and exposing them to serious danger of life.

The aforementioned are also charged with the crime of murder because, after having forced some migrants to settle in the engine area, despite one of them having expressed his state of malaise and the will to get on deck, he was threatened and beaten, as well as forced to remain below deck until death. The investigation activity carried out made it possible to identify the members of the offending crew by reconstructing the role played by each. The landing under investigation occurred on 20 January 2022 and involved 70 migrants of various nationalities, mainly Bengali.

The policemen of the Flying Squad, coordinated by the Agrigento Prosecutor's Office, having overcome the difficulties linked both to the migrants' fear of
report information regarding the identification of the cc.dd. smugglers, who, with their psycho-physical state put to the test by the exhausting journey, managed, once again, to shed light on the entire affair, doing justice to yet another victim of the sea linked to the migratory phenomenon of the central Mediterranean route .
In particular, in addition to the captain of the vessel, the role of whoever was responsible for refueling the engines and who was responsible for the
maintaining order on board, including using threats and beatings.

After the ritual formalities, the detainees were made available to the AG for the necessary validations and to ascertain any possible
criminal liability.