Italo-UK intelligence op nabs migrant trafficker

An Italo-UK intelligence operation on Thursday nabbed a notorious migrant trafficker, Ahmed Abeid, Azernews reports, citing ANSA.

The British National Crime Agency worked with Italian intelligence services to arrest Abeid, the reputed head of a widespread network of "facilitation and migrant contraband active between Libya, Egypt, and Italy," they said.

They said Abeid organised "numerous crossings in fishing boats from Libya to Italy." The alleged trafficker had moved from Italy to London, from where he was continuing to run his network, the sources said.

Good weather has fuelled a fresh migrant surge towards Italy and hundreds of people have died in a recent migrant boat wreck off Greece, when a trawler sailing from Tobruk to Italy reportedly capsized after the Greek coast guard put a tow rope on it, in one of the biggest disasters in the Med in recent years.