Police break up 'luxury' human-trafficking ring

(ANSA) - ROME, FEB 21 - Police on Wednesday executed warrants for the arrest of 12 people allegedly part of a gang that ran human-trafficking operations between Tunisia and Sicily on "luxury" dinghies.
    The suspects, six Italians and six Tunisians, are accused of criminal association aimed at aiding and abetting illegal immigration.
    They gang allegedly had cells in Tunisia and Italy and operated crossings for relatively small of groups of migrants, a maximum of 20, between the North African country and the coast near to the Sicilian city of Marsala.
    The boats were powered with large motors so they could move fast.
    Migrants allegedly paid between 3,000 and 6,000 euros each per crossing, considerably more than is usually paid for the journey on packed boats that are often in a poor state of repair.
    The suspects include a corrupt former Tunisian police officer.
    The probe that discovered the rung had already led to the arrest of eight alleged human traffickers, all Tunisian nationals, detailed 'red-handed' following four migrant-boat lands between June and September last year.
    It is thought that the gang illegally brought 73 people to Italy, including 12 minors and six women Police arrested 19 of them for illegally re-entering Italy and four in relation to definitive convictions for crimes regarding property and drug dealing.
    The police also seized four dinghies used by the gang. (ANSA).