CAIRO: General Department of Public Funds Crime’s Investigation Police arrested 11 people over charges of organizing many of the recent illegal trips from Egypt to Europe, Youm7 reported Friday.
The arrested, including five Egyptians and six foreigners, have been allegedly operating their from an area located in east Cairo.
According to General Department, investigations revealed that the arrested agents gather Egyptian and African youth, who dream of traveling to European countries, to coastal cities in Egypt, then take them in fishing boats in risky journeys to Italian coast.
Amounts of money were found in possession of the arrested, including: $13,170, 170 Euro, 36,280 EGP, a laptop, 3 PC computers, 22 mobile phones, 6 private cars, data of people being smuggled, and fake driving licenses and entry visas to European countries.
The agents acknowledged they were behind many of the recent cases of smuggling in persons; they were referred to prosecution to be investigated.
On Sunday, an owner of a fishing boat was arrested and sent to investigations after 10 Syrian and Iraqi migrants on board of his boat drowned.
Egypt’s ground and coastal guards have regularly foiled attempts by dozens of migrants to illegally travel outside the country.