The headquarters of Egypt's Administrative Control Authority in Cairo (Photo: Ahram)
Egypt’s Administrative Control Authority, the country’s anti-corruption watchdog, has said it arrested 22 people involved in facilitating illegal immigration by Egyptians to Europe.
The authority said in a statement on Monday that the defendants have aided people wishing to emigrate and children from the age of three to illegally travel to European countries using forged documents.
The authority released a three-and-half-minute footage showing the tracking of suspects while they were applying for visas as well as the arrests of a number of defendants from the airport or in possession of fabricated documents and false stamps.
The suspects - arrested from five govenorates including the capital Cairo - have been ordered detained pending investigations.
The authority has in recent months brought a series of corruption cases against senior government officials. Those charged include the former head of the Egyptian Customs Authority, the head of the state Food Industries Holding Company and a number of supply ministry officials.
Television and radio advertisements have been prompting Egyptians to report corruption incidents to the authority’s hotline as part of its anti-corruption campaign.
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