2340 Algerian illegal immigrants arrested in three years
Ech-Chorouk, September 28, 2007
A total of 2,340 Algerian illegal immigrants were arrested in the last three years, according to an Algerian naval officer.
Some 1,300 illegal immigrants who were facing a risk of death were rescued by Algerian navy forces, said Colonel Youcef Zrizer a naval officer.
In a meeting organised on Thursday about illegal migration phenomenon, Colonel Zrizer said illegal migration was limited in borders between Ain Timouchent province (west of Algiers) and Morocco before September 2005. This phenomenon has extended now along west coast.
“Despite the navy forces vigilance and emergency measures the number of illegal immigrants in Algeria increased between 2006 and 2007,” said the same source.
“People who go illegally on commercial ship are charged with misdemeanour but there is no law to charge those who go on any other kind of boats,” he added.
According to an official at general department of national security, law is “week and tolerant” in the fight against illegal migration.
A specialised organisation would be soon created to dismantle illegal migration networks, identify smugglers and prosecute them, said a representative of border police.
An official in Algerian foreign affairs ministry Hocine Sahraoui said six agreements were signed between Algeria and European nations between 1994 and 2004 to deport Algerian illegal immigrants.
