Tunisia dismantles human trafficking network

Tunisia has dismantled a human trafficking network involving eight Tunisians, including five women and a migrant smuggler, as part of a joint operation, the Tunisian National Guard announced on Monday.

This network is involved in human trafficking and financing illegal border crossings by sub-Saharan Africans, the Tunisian National Guard said in a statement published on its Facebook page.

Members of this network provided irregular migrants with funding of around 230,000 dinars (around $74,080) through postal money orders, helping them obtain illegal residence in El Amra and Jebeniana in Sfax, the statement said.

Some 65,000 dinars (around $20,937) in cash, a luxury vehicle and a collection of contracts relating to assets acquired for money laundering purposes were seized during the operation, the statement said.

All those arrested were referred to the Sfax public prosecutor's office, which ordered the issuance of eight arrest warrants for “human trafficking and money laundering”, the statement said.

Located at the northern tip of Africa, Tunisia is one of the most popular transit points for illegal immigration to Europe.

Although Tunisian authorities have adopted rigorous measures to tackle the problem, the number of illegal immigrants trying to reach Italy via Tunisian shores is increasing.