Asylum racket questioned as records show no increase in Syrian arrivals

Investigations indicate there is no apparent organised racket involving Syrian citizens travelling to Malta to apply for asylum status, according to police sources.

Somali nationals were arrested recently on suspicion of being part of such a racket.

Figures seen by the Times of Malta show that the number of Syrian citizens applying for asylum protection this year is below that registered in 2014.

“This suggests there is no organised racket engaged in bringing Syrians to Malta to apply for asylum,” a senior police officer said, insisting on anonymity. “If a racket existed, there would have been a spike in the figures,” he noted.

However, there have been just 105 migrant arrivals by sea this year.

The sources said that although it could not be excluded that some successful attempts had been made, judging by the figures one could not speak of an “organised” racket so far.

After suspending the Schengen acquis in the run-up to the Valletta Migration Summit and CHOGM last month, the government had said the move had “uncovered a racket which involved bringing migrants from Italy to apply for asylum in Malta”. It said the racket involved “mainly Syrians”.

The declaration by the Office...