(ANSA)- Milan, February 11 - Police in Milan province and
elsewhere in Italy arrested a number of suspected people
smugglers Wednesday who charged Eritreans up to 1300 euros to
enter Italy illegally en route to northern Europe, police said.
Eritreans paid from 250 euros to as much as 1300 be
passed through Italy on their way to Milan after landing in
Sicily with final destination Germany, France or Sweden, police
sources said.
The Africans could be obliged to wait for weeks along the
way before receiving a ride in a van or a false passport and air
ticket, the sources said.
As many as 25 arrest warrants were being carried out by
the Milan flying squad with at least 14 people arrested while
fake documents were forged in Athens and then sent to Milan.
The probe began in September 2013 after a car with five
Eritreans aboard was intercepted in Monza heading for the
frontier.
A Brazilian at the wheel of the car provided important
details to start the inquiry into the network, said the sources.
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