Man jailed nine years over complex migrant smuggling operation
A Tunisian man has been jailed for nine years after admitting his role in a sophisticated migrant smuggling operation that used Maltese fishing boats to transport migrants from Libya to Malta and Lampedusa in 2022.
The Criminal Court convicted 51-year-old Mohamed Derbel after he pleaded guilty to all charges brought against him by the Attorney General. He admitted to participating in a criminal organisation involved in migrant trafficking, associating with others in Malta and abroad to commit crimes, and assisting migrants to enter Malta illegally for financial gain.
Prosecutors described the operation as a coordinated enterprise involving multiple boats, cash payments, logistical planning and the illegal transfer of migrants by sea.
Investigations began on 14 September 2022 after police received reports that migrants had landed near the Delimara power station. Officers found vehicles waiting near the shoreline to collect migrants immediately after they disembarked from a small boat. Some migrants escaped while others hid in nearby fields before police arrived.
Migrants told investigators they had left Libya aboard a large fishing vessel carrying Syrian, Bangladeshi and Pakistani nationals before being transferred onto smaller boats for the final journey to Malta.
Investigators alleged that on 8 September 2022 Derbel and others sailed out aboard three vessels to meet a larger ship carrying around 100 migrants. Two smaller boats were allegedly used to ferry migrants to Lampedusa.
The prosecution also linked Derbel to the vessel Giuseppe L, previously flagged by immigration authorities and NGOs after being spotted carrying migrants. Police said mobile phone extractions revealed photographs of the boat heavily loaded with migrants at sea, along with screenshots from SeaWatch reports.
Another vessel, Stephanie, was allegedly used in the operation after its owner reported it stolen. Authorities later discovered the boat had arrived in Lampedusa carrying migrants.
Court records showed Syrian families already living in Malta allegedly paid €7,000 per adult and €1,000 per child to bring relatives to Malta by sea. Police said meetings and payments took place in Fgura, with phone data corroborating the locations and dates.
Investigators also raised suspicions over fishing-related financial transactions involving unusually large sums that appeared inconsistent with the size of the boats involved, suggesting the fishing business may have served as a front for smuggling activities.
Searches at Derbel’s residence uncovered cash, satellite phones, SIM cards and documents containing maritime coordinates.
In sentencing Derbel, the court highlighted the seriousness of the offences, saying they undermined national security and endangered vulnerable migrants during sea crossings. The court also considered his clean criminal record and early guilty plea.
Proceedings against two other accused men connected to the operation are still ongoing.
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