Proof again that Putin is determined to destabilize Europe. For the last 2 years he's been using yachts to smuggle in thousands of illegal immigrants! Putin is being sneaky using the Russians in the Ukraine (Belarusians) to do his dirty work.
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Thousands of Illegal Immigrants Have Been Entering Europe by Luxury Yachts
Thousands of illegal immigrants from the Middle East and Asia are being smuggled into Europe on board luxury yachts.
The immigrants usually begin their journey in Izmir, western Turkey, where they board yachts normally used by tourists. The vessels then head for Malta or Sicily in a journey lasting 3-4 days.
According to figures from the Italian authorities and European border agency Frontex, eight Ukrainian people-smugglers have been arrested in Sicily in the past month after their yachts were intercepted by the Italian coastguard. Six others were arrested in Malta and Crete. Each vessel had been carrying about 30 immigrants from countries including Syria, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Somalia and Iraq.
This followed the arrest last year of 42 Ukrainians on suspicion of smuggling people from Turkey and Greece to Italy, according to Frontex.
?This is an important new route from Turkey,? said Carlo Parini, head of Gicic, an Italian government taskforce that combats human trafficking in Sicily, where 10,000 migrants have already arrived this year.
He also told the Sunday Times of London: ?It is a very well developed smuggling operation. But we know their routes, we know the ways they work. We are very good at catching them.?