An Italian intelligence report released this week says NGO migrant “taxi” vessels are helping smugglers and causing more deaths at sea.
A report by Italy’s Department of Security Intelligence (DIS) released to the Italian parliament this week said the presence of migrant “taxis” claiming to carry out rescue operations helped smugglers and led to more migrants hoping to meet them.
“NGOs are a logistical advantage for criminal organizations that manage the smuggling of migrants and put people disembarked at real risk of shipwreck,” the report said. Journal reports.
DIS claims that some smugglers even use NGO services as a selling point to potential migrants, claiming that the presence of NGO vessels provides greater security for those fleeing the often perilous journey across the Mediterranean.
Migrants paid smugglers 8,000 euros each before drowning off the coast of Italy, killing 67 people.
— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondres) March 1, 2023
Alfredo Mantovano, the Deputy President of the Council, explained the report to the parliament and said: “If I place the ships at the limit of the territorial waters, the probability that the small boats will leave the continent with the confidence of finding shelter ships will increase. »
Similar accusations have been made in the past by the European Union’s border agency Frontex, which has called NGOs a “pull factor” for illegal immigration.
Earlier reports also indicated that some NGOs worked directly with smugglers in the Mediterranean.
The DIS report also details smuggling networks that use sailboats, often from Turkey. These stolen yachts have been frequent since at least 2021, with reports claiming they were used to transport migrants to Italy.
According to DIS, the networks are mainly made up of Pakistanis and Kurds and have logistical support in the migrants’ countries of origin as well as transit countries. They also use social networks extensively for advertising.
Migrant ship fined 10,000 and detained at port for violating border control order https://t.co/RdfdPHMTt7
— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondres) February 26, 2023
The report comes days after a boat from Turkey sank off Steccato di Cutro in southeastern Italy, killing at least 67 people smugglers, including at least 16 children.
Croton prosecutors have identified at least three men, two Pakistanis and a Turkish national, as possible smugglers, who have each been charged with €8,000 (£7,033/$8,461).
NGO activities brought more than 10,000 migrants to Italy last year alone.
National Conservative Prime Minister Georgia Maloney’s government issued a security order to stop them.
Salvini: Migrant drownings caused by ‘charity’ ports reopening encourage smugglers https://t.co/AlAjFl8x2X
— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondres) October 20, 2019
Follow Chris Tomlinson on Twitter at @TomlinsonCJ or by email at ctomlinson(at)breitbart.com.
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