topics
tools
Expatica countries
Index Last Var.(%)
BEL 20 2119.44 0.28
DAX 6339.94 0.38
IBEX 30 6543 0.13
CAC 40 3047.94 0.32
FTSE 100 5351.53 0.03
AEX 292.76 0.23
DJIA 12454.83 -0.60
Nasdaq 2837.53 -0.07
FTSE MIB 13154.8 0.36
TSX Composite 11576.47 0.09
ASX 4081.2 -0.61
Hang seng 18713.41 0.25
Straits Times 2772.75 -0.24
ISEQ 20 500.94 1.55
You are here: Home News European News European police strike illegal Kurdish migrant network

European News

archive
Enlarge font Decrease font Text size


10/06/2009European police strike illegal Kurdish migrant network

Venice police established that the network brought some 2,500 Iraqi Kurds to Europe via Turkey, with initial stops in Greece and Italy, from late 2006 through the end of last year.

Rome -- Police in Italy and five other European countries Tuesday arrested at least 46 people in a crackdown on an illegal migrant network that has brought thousands of Iraqi Kurds into Europe.

Several hundred police carried out sweeps in 17 Italian cities, arresting 32 mainly Iraqi Kurds in "Operation Ticket to Ride," Alessandro Giuliano, a leading investigator of the Venice police, told a news conference in Rome.

At the same time, seven suspects were arrested in Germany, two in France, two in Switzerland, two in Belgium and one in Greece.

Venice police established that the network brought some 2,500 Iraqi Kurds to Europe via Turkey, with initial stops in Greece and Italy, from late 2006 through the end of last year.

The actual number could be more than twice as large, Giuliano said.

The investigation was prompted by the discovery in May 2006 of 36 Iraqi Kurds hidden in a truck in Venice, where they had arrived from Greece.

The journeys could take up to 10 months, with payments made at each stage using Western Union or other remittance companies for an average total of between 8,000 and 10,000 dollars (5,700 to 7,150 euros), Giuliano said.

The luckier migrants travelled by plane or car with false identity papers, while others were crammed into trucks or hidden underneath them, Giuliano said.

Many of the smugglers had legal residency permits, he added.

Police issued 70 arrest warrants all together, Giuliano said.

The sweeps, carried out with the support of Europol and Eurojust, also involved Britain and Sweden, but no arrests were made.

AFP/Expatica


0 reactions to this article

Be the first person to add a comment

General rating: Not rated yet

Rate article:    Add my rating



0 reactions to this article

Be the first person to add a comment
Discussion Forums

Australians in Germany

BUY FAKE PASSPORT, DRIVING LICENSE,ID CARD

Irish in Germany

BUY FAKE PASSPORT, DRIVING LICENSE,ID CARD

Canadian in Germany

BUY FAKE PASSPORT, DRIVING LICENSE,ID CARD

Discuss German Culture

BUY FAKE PASSPORT, DRIVING LICENSE,ID CARD

Americans in Germany

BUY FAKE PASSPORT, DRIVING LICENSE,ID CARD

participate in the forums

Inside Expatica
The ABCs of the German school system

The ABCs of the German school system

What you need to know about German schools and daycare.

German immigration and residency regulations

German immigration and residency regulations

Want to move to Germany but haven’t figured out the details? Check out Expatica’s overview of the German permit system.

Driving in Berlin: Rules, habits and fines

Driving in Berlin: Rules, habits and fines

In part one of our two part series, we cover the driving culture in Berlin, where to park and buy gas and, most importantly, the laws.

Looking for work in Germany: The in depth version

Looking for work in Germany: The in depth version

Our comprehensive guide includes information on how to find work, recruitment agencies, employment contracts and labour law.