Kosovo court jails seven for people smuggling

(PRISTINA) - An EU-dominated court in Kosovo on Friday sentenced seven members of a human trafficking ring to between two and 19 years in prison for smuggling migrants, a press release said.

"In total, the court sentenced seven defendants to 66 years of imprisonment and 450,000 euro in fines," the EU rule of law mission (EULEX) said.

The case refers to the drowning and death of 15 migrants from Kosovo in the Tisza River in October 2009 while trying to illegally cross the border between Serbia and Hungary.

The clandestine immigrants were trying to move from Kosovo to the EU. Their boat capsized and most of them drowned during the tragedy.

The immigrants were family groups, and the dead included at least two children.

A Kosovo Albanian, who was arrested in Hungary after the incident, claimed he survived after the boat transporting the group sank.

He then said that he had been on the boat with 18 or 19 people. When the boat started to sink he managed to save his two children but not his wife.

"Among other things, the case exposed an organised crime group that offered migrants illegal passage to EU countries and other countries of Europe, making significant illicit profits," the press release.

Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in February 2008 and is recognised by 76 countries, including the United States and all but five EU members.

Despite Serbia's fierce opposition to the declaration of independence, its authorities cooperated with their Kosovo counterparts in solving the case that concerned the entire region.

"The investigation was conducted on a regional level and included exchange of information between police and prosecutors," the press release said.

EULEX is mandated to oversee the rule of law in the newly declared country.

Its judges have the power to intervene in cases that are too sensitive for the local judiciary to tackle.