Migrants from China to Italy on the Balkan route, 9 arrested

(ANSA) - TRIESTE, 26 GIU - Someone would send them by plane from China to countries such as Serbia, which they would enter visa-free, and then someone else would take them to Italy via the Balkan route, Then, some of their compatriots would transport them by car to a sort of safe house in Cazzago di Pianiga (Venice), where they would stay for one or two days. From there, other drivers would drive them to their final destinations, including Venice, Milan, Prato, France, and Spain.
    Those who arrived had their passports taken away, only to be sent back to China. From that moment, they became ghosts destined for exploitation until the debt contracted for the trip was paid off, and they were relegated to workshops or tailor shops.
    That is the modus operandi used by the Chinese crime syndicate dedicated to aiding and abetting irregular immigration, which was dismantled by the Trieste border police.
    Under the leadership of the Trieste Prosecutor's Office-District Anti-Mafia Directorate, the Chinese Shuttle operation has made significant strides. Nine Chinese nationals have been apprehended for their involvement in aggravated aiding and abetting irregular immigration. While 27 individuals, including three for aiding and abetting irregular immigration and 24 for illegal entry into state territory, are still at large, the coordinated efforts of the Directorate have led to a breakthrough in dismantling this crime syndicate. (ANSA).