The Belgian Police seized two aircraft worth a total of 426,000 euros as they were illegally used to transport migrants, mainly of Kurdish or Iraqi origin, from Turkey to get them to Italy and other European Union countries. Trips that also cost 10,000 euros each way.

This is what emerged from the investigations conducted by an investigative team made up of the police forces of Italy, Belgium, Germany, Austria and France. The police forces issued an arrest warrant for five people: an Italian residing in Rome and four Egyptians, three of whom residing in Italy and one in Belgium (including a Tunisian woman). Two other men are wanted: all are accused of aiding illegal immigration.

In Italy, the investigations were coordinated by the Bari District Anti-Mafia Directorate, given the role of the Apulian airport used by these traffickers. The facts refer to the period between October and December 2020. The investigations found that passengers arrived at European airports using false diplomatic documents then, once they reached the airport, declared their real nationality and asked for political asylum.