Coast guards intercept 40 illegal immigrants from Sharqiya

CAIRO – 8 November 2017: The Armed forces’ coast guards managed to intercept 40 illegal immigrants coming from Sharqiyah governorate, eastern Cairo, while on their way to Alexandria; intending to travel abroad from there.

All defendants were immediately arrested and referred to prosecution. The would-be-immigrants said that they sealed a deal with one of the traffickers who accepted money in return for enabling them to leave the country.

The Egyptian parliament has approved in October the illegal-immigration and smuggling law including tough penalties on whoever assists and facilitates illegal immigration process. The law was drafted by the cabinet in 2015, and was sent in June 2016 to the parliament for discussion.

The parliament's efforts to approve the law came following the boat that capsized off the coast of Rashid in Beheira governorate while heading to Europe, killing dozens of people.

Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry pointed out that illegal migration’s negative impacts should be considered seriously as this phenomenon has been accompanied by illegal human trafficking and terrorism funding, said Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Ahmed Abu Zeid in a statement on Monday.

During the session titled “Negative Impact of Irregular Migration on Youth across the World” which took place on Monday in Sharm El-Sheikh, Shoukry stressed that Egypt has adopted an unchangeable policy that aims to protect Egyptian nationals from falling prey to human traffickers, Abu Zeid added.