At a time when the Italian debate over clandestine immigration has opened up again, frontier police in Bari have arrested a 42-year-old Greek citizen who hid two Afghan boys in his car in order to smuggle them into Italy.
The younger boy, aged 15, was crammed into a suitcase in the boot. His brother, aged 17, was found under the seat covers in the back of the car. This is the condition in which they endured the sea voyage of at least 9 hours.
One of the boys told police he had paid 2,600 euros to an Afghan man in Greece for the voyage while the other said he had worked as a servant for an unknown Afghan man in Greece for three months and the voyage had been his “reward”.
Both boys are said to be in good health, despite their ordeal.
Minors smuggled into Europe can be destined for prostitution, illegal manual work or even have their organs removed and sold for transplant. Traffickers take advantage of the extreme poverty of the children’s parents who may sell them to pay off debts or simply to have money to live.
In Italy penalties for human trafficking range from 8 to 20 years’ imprisonment and up to 30 years’ imprisonment where the trafficking involves minors. Heavy fines are also imposed.
What do you think the penalties should be for human trafficking?
