ROME - Milanese Public Prosecutor's Office have conducted an investigation with both the Police and the local police force that has led to a precautionary measure order executed against seven alleged perpetrators, for allegedly having organised a migrant trafficking network.

 The investigation began in 2022, following checks at the Swiss and French borders, which led to the discovery of stolen documents kept near a photo booth at the Lampugnano station, in west Milan.

 This is a part of the city which investigators consider to be the hub of these illegal activities, from where migrants were then directed to other European countries, in an effort to advantage of freedom of movement in the Schengen area.

 The alleged facilitator network operated in the provinces of Milan, Brescia, Bergamo, Varese, Monza and Brianza, Novara, Teramo, Aosta and Turin.

 The “facilitators” approached illegal immigrants in Lampugnano, asking them for sums of money between 100 and 250 euros.

 As for the journey itself, the migrants allegedly paid the same amounts to the drivers of international buses. Some drivers were allegedly bribed to avoid carrying out checks on tickets and documents.

 It is alleged that others, however, were threatened and attacked if they refused to cooperate.

 The investigations concerned in the Mont Blanc, San Bernardo and Bardonecchia crossings in particular, where many buses coming from Lampugnano were intercepted.

 Authorities have acquired documents from BlaBlaCar and Flixibus, who were not under investigation themselves, to identify some of these drivers, who were under investigation for allegedly making themselves available to this scheme. 

 Three transport companies were investigated under the law on administrative liability of entities, for having physically managed the bus service on behalf of Flixbus and BlaBlaCar. 

“We will obviously continue to collaborate with the authorities to ensure that these investigations can lead to a prompt resolution of the issues that have been detected at Lampugnano bus station, as we ourselves are direct victims of this situation,” a representative of Flixbus has said. 

“We reiterate that for years we have spoken against the condition Lampugnano bus station is in and the need for greater police presence. We have already established an ongoing dialogue with the administration by submitting formal reports to the Prefecture and the Municipality of Milan, requesting greater controls until filing a formal complaint. We have also decided to invest in dedicated security personnel,” the statement continued.

 “FlixBus implores all its partner companies to rigorously observe its organisational model and code of ethics, which is based on compliance with all applicable regulations and against the act of illegal acts and crimes”.

 Among the seven recipients of the preventive detention order, which was issued by investigating judge Fabrizio Filice at the request of prosecutors Rosario Ferracane and Daniela Bartolucci, there were two drivers. 

 One of these two drivers, as listed in the 109-page order, allegedly tried to beat up and threatened to kill several times a colleague, who had caught him loading illegal immigrants onto a bus. 

 He allegedly acted together with one of the network's facilitators, who himself on several occasions was also a perpetrator of intimidation against drivers who refused to carry out illegal transports. Some drivers have since filed complaints.

 A Tunisian minor, who was stopped on a BlaBlaCar bus headed to Paris in March 2023, reported hearing about the so-called ‘Lampugnano hub’ while still on the Tunisian coast and had confirmation of this in the Isola Capo Rizzuto.

 Once he had arrived at the Milan station, he was approached by a person of African origin who gave him instructions on how to board the buses without documents, for a fee.

 The investigation has forty-four charges in total, mostly for aiding and abetting illegal immigration and often with violence. Investigators have acquired both wiretapped statements and testimonies from the migrants themselves that have allowed the authorities to identify the facilitators who were running the front.

 In March 2023, among others, four migrants paid 1,200 euros for a trip from Milan to Lyon.

 The seven arrested were taken to prison in Rimini.

 The alleged facilitators allegedly purchased tickets for the migrants' trips online, using false personal details, to account for the migrants’ lack of regulation documents.

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