Italian authorities have arrested 14 people at the border between Italy and Slovenia during a month-long crackdown on irregular migration, from July 8 to August 10. The arrests took place in Trieste, a northeastern Italian city, where border police have intensified checks as part of ongoing efforts to combat migrant smuggling. Of the 14 individuals detained, nine are suspected of being involved in migrant smuggling, while the remaining five were wanted by judicial authorities for other offenses.
The first arrest occurred on July 8, when a 51-year-old Turkish man was apprehended while attempting to bring five fellow Turkish citizens, aged between 15 and 49, into Italy. Just three days later, on July 11, police arrested two more Turkish nationals, a driver and a passenger, aged 25 and 23, respectively. The driver was taken into custody for allegedly aiding illegal migration, while the passenger was reported to the authorities.
The operation continued with the arrest of two more suspected smugglers on July 16. A 25-year-old Ukrainian man and a 47-year-old Georgian citizen were detained. The Ukrainian was found driving four Turkish minors, who were later placed in a care facility. The Georgian suspect was caught transporting five Turkish adults and a Syrian woman, ranging in age from 19 to 46.
In another incident on August 3, a Moldavian driver was arrested while attempting to smuggle a Turkish woman and her four children into Italy. The woman intended to reunite with her husband in Germany. The following days saw the arrest of two more suspected smugglers: a 46-year-old woman from Kosovo and a 34-year-old Belarusian citizen, both found transporting a total of seven Turkish migrants.
The crackdown continued into August with the arrest of a 40-year-old Ukrainian man on August 8, who was found driving a Syrian couple with three small children. The very next day, a 23-year-old Georgian national was taken into custody for transporting six irregular migrants, including four Iraqis and a Syrian.
This operation shows the Italian government’s commitment to tightening border security and curbing the flow of illegal migrants through the Balkan route. The involvement of international smugglers highlights the ongoing challenges faced by authorities in managing and controlling migration in the region.