There is no depth to which organised criminal gangs will not sink when it comes to making money off the plight of the desolate and the desperate. And as far as human trafficking and the smuggling of migrants from the shores of North Africa and the Middle East is concerned, these criminal barons are the lowest of the low.
Sadly, there is no shortage of migrants who are willing to risk their lives in a last desperate attempt for a better future in Europe. And the traffickers prey upon these vulnerable, taking from them their last savings. In return, the migrants are bundled onto leaky vessels and set sail on the high seas.
The latest disgusting tactic to avoid capture by the authorities is to abandon the ships after setting autopilots on course for the European coastline.
Twice in the past week naval authorities have had to intervene and take over these ghost ships and their miserable cargo of heaving humanity.
Europe’s frontier agency has vowed that it will do what it can to ease the plight of migrants. The reality, though, is that individual nations have curtailed their maritime patrols because of rising costs. Until such time as the European Union ensures that the navies of its nations have enough funds, the trafficking gangs will literally get away with murder.
