Summary:

On 25 May 2023, the National Guard announced the arrest of a notorious irregular migrant smuggler who operated out of Sfax, accumulating 24 arrest warrants and prior sentences totaling 79 years in prison.

The Italian Interior Minister, Matteo Piantedosi, was quick to applaud the arrest, noting the connection of the smuggler to a particular shipwreck that killed 20 Tunisians.

The arrest follows a late March announcement by Piantedosi that Italy had reached an agreement with Tunisia to take a more direct role in intercepting migrants. This included plans to conduct joint naval patrols and to intensify intelligence cooperation in Sfax.

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Sfax has become the focal point of both Italian and Tunisian counter-smuggling efforts with Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani recently highlighting the central role that Tunisia’s “second city” plays in the regional smuggling economy.

Separately, the National Guard announced on 26 May an arrest in Sfax of a suspected Islamic State (Daesh) supporter who was reportedly planning multiple attacks that would utilize improved explosive devices (IEDs). In early May, a National Guard announcement of an arrest of a terrorist cell in Grombolia proposed a link between terrorist groups and human trafficking, asserting that a takfiri group had been involved in facilitating irregular migration.

Outlook:  

The recent arrest of this prominent smuggler points to the delivery of the force multiplication and operational intensification promised by the Italians in March. This collaboration is likely to continue, particularly as it has proven effective in recent weeks.

While poor weather on the Mediterranean Sea has contributed to a slowdown in sea crossing attempts in recent weeks, the overall spike in attempts in 2023 has alarmed Tunisian and European authorities still struggling to stem to the flow.

Italy’s more direct role in interdiction and disruption reflect the seriousness with which Italian leaders are approaching the issue of irregular migration due to increasing domestic pressure to slow the number of migrants arriving on Italy’s coast.

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