BRUSSELS, Oct. 08 (MNA) –The naval mission of the European Union (EU) against immigrant smuggling began on Wednesday its second stage, aimed at stopping, searching and seizing ships and arrest the smugglers, according to European community sources.

The UE Political and Security Committee agreed few days ago the beginning of the stage two of the maneuver in the Mediterranean Sea, aimed at counteract the wave of undocumented immigrants in Europe, a flow that has exceeded one and a half million people.

The first stage of  the  operation began in June, with the objective of patrolling high seas and gather intelligence about the work of  the mafias that smuggle immigrants.

The second stage will be devoted to board, search and possibly seize ships, as well as stopping the supposed smugglers, something for which it will not be necessary an authorization by the UN Security Council, according to the sources quoted by the news agency Europa Press.

The stage three is still pending on that approval, while its objective would be dispose of the vessels used for smuggling or trafficking, something that entails to destroy vessels in international waters.

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PL-22/MNA