Prison demanded for human traffickers caught smuggling Syrians

The Public Prosecutor demanded up to 42 months imprisonment against two defendants suspected of smuggling Syrian asylum seekers from the Middle East to Europe in the court in Zwolle on Tuesday, news wire ANP reports. According to the Public Prosecutor, the two suspects - 48-year-old Mufeed H. from Zaandam and 46 year-old Mohamed E. from Leeuwarden - drove two vans to Milan, Italy via France in April 2014 and picked up two Syrian families there. The families consisted of seven adults and eight children The asylum seekers were dropped off in Ter Apel a day later. The Prosecutor believes that H. was involved in five other human trafficking cases, for which he earned 39 thousand euros. The Dutch authorities were put on his trace based on information from the French judiciary. Based on the case file, called the Dagan investigation, H. had frequent contact with people in Syria and Italy. He received money from accounts in several countries in the Middle East. If the Prosecutor has his way, H. will spend 42 months in prison, six of which conditionally suspended. Against E., who was only involved in one case of smuggling, the Prosecutor demanded 30 months in prison, six of which conditionally suspended, and a 2 thousand euro fine.