Sunday 23 February 2025 
BY: Hana Saada
ALGIERS- The brigade against migrant smuggling and human trafficking has dismantled a dangerous organized criminal network specializing in the smuggling of illegal migrants across the sea.
The national security services said in a statement that the operation was initiated on the basis of information reported by one citizen out of two suspects who planned to smuggle illegal migrants to Europe in a crossing of the Mediterranean on makeshift boats. They collect 80 million centimes per person.
Accordingly, the members of the brigade began their investigation, which enabled them to identify the rest of the suspects and arrest them in the neighborhoods of Sidi Fredj.
The search of their homes, after the extension of jurisdiction and the implementation of warrants, led to the seizure of materials used for immigration.
The age of the suspects with criminal records, according to the same source, varies between 32 and 54 years. They are from the wilaya of Algiers and other neighboring wilayas.
During this operation, the police seized, in the garage of a house, two semi-pneumatic boats, two pleasure boats, five engines of different types and powers, 18 life jackets, an emergency vehicle, six barrels of essence, and six cell phones.
After completing all the usual procedures, the defendants were brought before the competent regional prosecutor’s office.