BAGHDAD / Aswat al-Iraq: Italian police arrested a gang that trafficked 1,500 Iraqi Kurds for a price of $12.5 million to European countries.

 

Europol said in a statement that three persons in Italy and five in Greece, in addition to another 50 persons, were apprehended for questioning in an operation that German and Greek police collaborated with.

 

The statement added that all individuals arrested were of Iraqi origin.

 

It added that the gang smuggled the immigrants through Syria, Iran and Turkey through the Balkan route, thus reaching Italy, Germany, France, Britain, Scandinavian countries and Switzerland.

 

The investigations disclosed that every immigrant paid about 16,000 dollars for the journey.

 

A few were granted the immigration permissions, while others were returned to Iraq, the statement added.

 

RM (TI)/SR