Sailor jailed for nine years over human trafficking racket

A Tunisian sailor has been jailed for nine years after admitting to involvement in a human trafficking racket that brought migrants to Malta by boat.

Mohamed Derbel, 48, admitted to forming part of a criminal organisation, associating with others to commit a crime in Malta, and helping people enter or leave Malta illegally for profit.

The case dates back to September 14, 2022, when, in the early hours of the morning, police received information that a group of foreign nationals had disembarked from a boat near the Delimara power station.

Some were picked up by vehicles waiting near the rocks and quay, while others hid in nearby fields. Police later traced some of the migrants, who said they had left Libya and travelled on a large fishing vessel carrying people from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Syria. They were then transferred onto a smaller boat that brought them ashore at Delimara.

The boat used for that trip was allegedly driven by Syrian national Yaser Hamoud, whose mobile phone was localised in the Delimara area at around 3am on the day of the landing.

Hamoud, who was later arrested and admitted to related charges, told police he worked on a boat called Madonna tal-Karmnu 1 and that a Tunisian man known as “Sarouk” also worked with him. Investigators later established that “Sarouk” was Derbel.

At the time of the original arraignment in 2022, Derbel and Roger Mangion, a 64-year-old pensioner from Birżebbuġa, had pleaded not guilty to involvement in a criminal organisation linked to human trafficking.

Four Syrian nationals, whose names were banned by court order, admitted to assisting relatives to enter Malta illegally and were each handed a one-year jail term suspended for three years.

Multiple boats involved in racket

The court heard that the September 14 landing was preceded by a trip at sea on September 8, when Derbel, Hamoud and others allegedly left Malta on three boats and met a vessel carrying around 100 migrants.

According to the indictment, Derbel and another accused left two boats near that vessel and returned to Malta on the Madonna tal-Karmnu 1. Police later established that those boats were also used to transport migrants illegally to Lampedusa.

Investigators also linked the racket to other boats, including the Giuseppe L and the Stephanie. Data extracted from Derbel’s mobile phone showed photos of the Giuseppe L at sea, loaded with migrants, as well as a screenshot from rescue NGO Sea-Watch showing the boat being used for the illegal transport of migrants.

The Stephanie, meanwhile, became part of the investigation after its owner reported it stolen. The court was told that the same boat later entered Lampedusa carrying migrants.

Relatives paid €7,000 per adult migrant

The court heard that the operation included arrangements for Syrian migrants to be met by relatives once they landed in Malta. According to the indictment, those relatives had paid €7,000 for every adult and €1,000 for every minor to one of the co-accused, who is referred to as “Omissis 1” in the judgment.

The group of migrants who landed in Malta on September 14 included 10 people from Bangladesh, two from Pakistan and several Syrians.

Searches at Derbel’s residence led to the seizure of around €3,000 in cash, company share documents, a satellite phone, a mobile phone, SIM cards and papers containing sea coordinates.

Another accused told police that the Madonna tal-Karmnu 1 was registered in his name but had in fact been bought by Derbel, because Derbel had no Maltese residence and it would have attracted attention had assets been registered in his own name.

Sentencing

Derbel admitted the charges on May 4 after a joint application by the Attorney General and the defence, in which both sides agreed to a nine-year effective jail term.

Madam Justice Natasha Galea Sciberras noted that Derbel had admitted before a jury was formed, although after the bill of indictment had been issued. She also considered his clean criminal record.

However, the court described the offences as very serious, saying they militated against the country’s security and involved risk to the migrants concerned.

The court sentenced Derbel to nine years in prison, from which time spent under preventive arrest will be deducted.

He was also ordered to pay €688 in expert expenses within one year, failing which the amount will be converted into imprisonment.

The court further ordered the confiscation of the Madonna tal-Karmnu 1, Derbel’s mobile phone, a satellite phone and seized cash. It ordered that the mobile phone and satellite phone remain in the custody of the Registrar of Criminal Courts and Tribunals until proceedings against the two co-accused are concluded.

Madam Justice Natasha Galea Sciberras presided. Yanica Barbara was defence counsel.