On Monday, the Tunisian authorities announced the arrest of eight people and their imprisonment on charges related to human trafficking and money laundering.
The General Administration of the National Guard explained that efforts to uncover the funding sources of sub-Saharan African nationals resulted in uncovering a network consisting of eight Tunisians, including five women and an organizer of illegal immigration operations.
The network’s follow-up operations were carried out within the framework of joint security work between the intelligence units in the National Guard area in Jebniana (Sfax Province) and the central intelligence units.
The administration added that members of the network help people of “sub-Saharan African” nationalities cross into Tunisia in exchange for sums of money amounting to about 230,000 Tunisian dinars ($75,000) via postal transfers.
They also helped those passing through illegal residency in the delegations of Al-Amera and Jebniana in the state of Sfax, southern Tunisia.
The administration indicated that field operations, which included raids and inspections, resulted in the seizure of a sum of money estimated at approximately 65,000 Tunisian dinars ($21,000), in addition to a luxury car and contracts for movables purchased for the purpose of money laundering.
The administration reported that after all those arrested were referred to the Public Prosecution Office in Sfax, orders were issued to place them in prison on charges of human trafficking and money laundering.
It is noteworthy that “Sub-Saharan Africa” is the region located south of the Sahara Desert on the African continent and constitutes the geographical border of the southern edge of the Sahara Desert. This term includes countries south of the Sahara Desert, and also includes part of East and Central Africa.
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