Italy arrests ‘brain’ behind migrant trafficking between Malta and Sicily
After two years of investigations following the arrest of three Maltese nationals caught transporting migrants from Malta to Sicily on powerful boats, Italian prosecutors received on extradition from France, 24 year old Adam Kunati who will face a number of charges over conspiracy to human trafficking.
Adam Kunati was extradited by France in response to a European Arrest Warrant issued by magistrates in Ragusa, Sicily. He was arrested as part of a wide-ranging investigation code-named ‘Double Impact’ that was widened to France last September.
Investigations were started in 2009 when Italian police arrested three Maltese: Joseph Xerri, 45m Kurt Buhagiar 27, and Michael Aquilina 39. The three were caught on board a very fast speedboat that had just transported a number of migrants from Malta.
All three are serving prison terms in Sicily, while further investigations established that Adam Kunati was the alleged ‘brain’ and intermediary in Malta who brought the migrants over to the Maltese traffickers and kept a percentage of the payments made.
Kunati had subsequently fled Malta to France where he was arrested and extradited.