Sixty seven migrants were arrested Tuesday when trying to set sail off the coastal of city of Metoubes in the governorate of Kafr Al-Sheikh while attempting to emigrate to Italy, said state-owned MENA. In the early morning hours, border guards along with state security forces detained 62 Egyptians, 4 Somalis and 1 Syrian, the state news agency said. MENA went on to say the trip had been brokered for the migrants for a fee between EGP 25,000 and 40,000. The operation was overseen by Major General Adel Hopper, security director of Kafr Al-Sheikh and Brigadier General Hassan Buhari of the Motabas police station, MENA added. When asked about the issue of migrants and refugees crossing from Egypt, Mohamed Dayri, the UNHCR's regional representative in Egypt, said the United Nations holds sessions informing "refugees and asylum seekers on the consequences of irregular departure from Egypt by sea" and that the UNHCR has stressed to the migrants "the importance of respecting Egyptian laws and regulations." He added that "UNHCR is aware of attempts by refugees to cross the Mediterranean Sea to reach Europe" and advised refugees and asylum seekers to honour Egyptian laws and requirements.
