Italy breaks up migrant smuggling ring, arrests eight suspects

Italian police said Thursday they had broken up a migrant smuggling ring and arrested eight people, in an operation dubbed "Phantom." The group allegedly ferried migrants by small boat from Algeria's El Kala port to Sardinia's southern coast.

How did the migrant smuggling ring operate?

Police said the ring used small boats to smuggle about a dozen migrants at a time from the Algerian port of El Kala to southern Sardinia. Investigators documented at least five crossings in recent months, with migrants paying up to 2,500 euros ($2,890) each for the journey.

Who was arrested in the Italy migrant smuggling case?

The eight suspects are all Algerian nationals, including the alleged ringleader, who was residing in Sardinia as an asylum-seeker. About 100 law enforcement officers took part in the raids that led to the arrests.

Police said the network had ties to Algeria and France, home to the group's main financier. Most of the migrants it smuggled came from Algeria and Tunisia.

What charges do the suspects face?

Those arrested face charges including criminal association aimed at aiding illegal migration, along with document forgery. Police said the Sardinia-based network was responsible for receiving migrants, producing forged documents, and providing operational support to its associates.

Investigators said the group had also been planning to buy faster vessels to expand its smuggling operations and move into drug trafficking.

How many migrants have arrived in Italy in 2026?

Almost 17,000 migrants have arrived in Italy by boat so far in 2026, according to the interior ministry. That marks a sharp drop from the 37,000 who arrived over the same period last year.