Kurdish Authorities Fight Human Smuggling
 

(The Kurdistan Observer) Aug 26, 2001. The Kurdish authorities in Arbil recently detained
10 persons operating as a human trafficking ring. In the last two weeks, the detainees
involved in these clandestine operations numbered 75, reported the London based Arabic
newspaper, Al-Hayat yesterday. 

The smugglers were trafficking 30 to 50 people each time to Turkey directly or through Iran
destined for Turkey.  The would-be refugees were Kurdish or Iraqi Arab nationals, paying
nearly $1500 each to reach Turkey, plus another $5000 from Turkey to Greece or Italy.

The Kurdish authorities has introduced measures to curtail trafficking of humans.  An
informed source indicated that these measures have been introduced by the Kurdish
administration under pressure from some European countries, particularly, Holland,
Germany, Denmark and Britain.  

Meanwhile, the Turkish and Iranian governments have increased their campaign against
human smuggling by intensifying security in and around their countries.  The two
governments recently handed the Kurdish authorities 195 people entering Iran and Turkey
illegally.