On Sunday, the Tunisian National Guard said Tunisia had dismantled a human trafficking network smuggling African migrants into Italy.
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"Security units in the southeastern province of Sfax managed to dismantle a criminal network active in the smuggling of foreign nationals," the Tunisian National Guard said in a statement posted on its Facebook page.
"This network facilitates the passage of people of different African nationalities to enter the Tunisian territory through the Algerian land border, and then transports and shelters them for illegal immigration attempts toward Italy," it added.
Four individuals, as well as three vehicles and a large amount of cash, were seized during the operation, said the statement, without giving further details.
Located in the far north of Africa, Tunisia is one of the most popular transit points for illegal immigration to Europe.
Although the Tunisian authorities have taken stringent measures to tackle the problem, the number of illegal immigrants attempting to reach Italy via the Tunisian coast has been increasing.