The Livorno flying squad, a part of the Italian police that mostly investigates serious crimes like organized crimes, drugs and terrorism, arrested a 34-year-old Egyptian citizen, one of a group of 13 migrants rescued by the Ocean Viking in Libyan waters who were disembarked at the Tuscan port.

The man, who was detained in the evening of Thursday (May 29), is suspected of skippering a boat that carried 12 foreigners -- including Egyptian, Eritrean and Ethiopian citizens -- who were rescued by the NGO-run vessel and taken to other ports before the boat's arrival in Livorno.

Overall, the Ocean Viking rescued 53 migrants in Libyan waters during the night of May 25. They included six children, 19 women and 28 unaccompanied minors. A reported 40 were taken on May 27 to Porto Empedocle in the province of Agrigento, Sicily. The remaining 13, including four women, reached Livorno on May 29. They included seven Eritreans, four Ethiopians and two Egyptians.

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Investigators attempt to reconstruct events

Investigators in Italy tend to gather evidence in order to try and reconstruct how they think events may have come to pass. In this case, based on the flying squad police unit's investigation and on testimony from the migrants on board, the 34-year-old allegedly took the helm of a small wooden vessel carrying 12 migrants, starting on May 22, while it was in international waters, before passengers were rescued by the NGO-run ship and subsequently disembarked in a number of Italian ports, including Livorno.

After identifying the alleged skipper of the migrant boat, police found out the man had already traveled to Italy without the correct papers two years ago. He was expelled on a flight from Rome's Fiumicino airport shortly after his arrival.

Investigators believe this is further evidence the man allegedly aided and abetted illegal immigration, according to sources close to the investigation.

Moreover, police found an unspecified amount of cash, divided into 20-euro banknotes, in his backpack. Based on the evidence they had gathered, police officers considered the Egyptian citizen a flight risk and arrested him.

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Livorno prefect slams 'hateful crime'

The prefect of Livorno, Giancarlo Dionisi, thanked police for the operation that led to the suspect's arrest and slammed human trafficking as a hateful crime in a note. "I wish to express my most heartfelt appreciation for the state police department for the brilliant operation carried out at the port of Livorno that led to the arrest of an alleged smuggler who disembarked with other migrants rescued at sea. An action which proves, once again, the very high level of professionalism, dedication and investigative prowess of security forces present on the territory," said Dionisi.

Human trafficking, continued the prefect, "is, to all effects, one of the most serious forms of transnational crime. We are speaking about a hateful crime, which tramples on the dignity of people and feeds itself on the pain and desperation of those fleeing war, persecution and unsustainable living conditions."

According to Dionisi, "smugglers are not simple traffickers: they are true merchants of death who exploit the suffering of others, without any moral or human scruple. This is why the state's response must be firm, coordinated and inflexible. Italy is a civil, democratic, supportive country, which does not look the other way when someone asks for help. But it is also a country that doesn't tolerate those exploiting hosting to commit crimes."

The prefect added that in his opinion, "landings are managed with great humanity, but also with the utmost respect for security and the law. And the results are visible," he concluded.