Somali man arrested in Italy on migrant trafficking charges
- 11 years ago
Italian police Friday arrest a 24-year old Somali man accused of human trafficking. He is believed to be part of a group that organized a migrant ship voyage from Africa to Italy on October 3 that left 366 people dead.
This is one of the first times investigators have been able to identify a person involved in such trafficking.
The man had been held in Lampedusa's holding center with other migrants but was recognized by eight survivors of the shipwreck as one of the traffickers. He was then flown to Palermo together with a Palestinian man who is suspected to have been among the organizers of a separate journey, involving Syrian migrants.
Police have so far released his name but say he is a member of an armed criminal group and has numerous charges against him, including kidnapping, involvement in human trafficking, sexual violence, and criminal association.
This is one of the first times investigators have been able to identify a person involved in such trafficking.
The man had been held in Lampedusa's holding center with other migrants but was recognized by eight survivors of the shipwreck as one of the traffickers. He was then flown to Palermo together with a Palestinian man who is suspected to have been among the organizers of a separate journey, involving Syrian migrants.
Police have so far released his name but say he is a member of an armed criminal group and has numerous charges against him, including kidnapping, involvement in human trafficking, sexual violence, and criminal association.