DR ‹ › Two couples have been sentenced in Italy in a case involving a Moroccan newborn girl smuggled from Tangier to Turin in a shopping bag under dangerous conditions. The woman who transported the child by ferry pleaded guilty to illegal immigration and received a two-year prison sentence, while her husband will stand trial under ordinary procedure starting in February 2027. The couple who hosted the baby in Italy were sentenced to nine and ten months in prison for aiding and abetting, following a fast-track trial, though they were acquitted of illegal immigration charges. The court also granted provisional compensation of €5,000 to the child, local media reported. According to prosecutors, the baby was transported in extremely harsh conditions, at times placed in a shopping bag and possibly sedated to prevent her from crying. Investigators believe the couple used false documents to present the child as their own, with evidence of prior coordination, including exchanged photos as early as September 2024, before the child was brought to Italy in October of the same year. After arriving in Italy, the baby was admitted to Regina Margherita Hospital before being handed over to the couple. Authorities suspect a further transfer may have been planned, potentially involving payment. The case came to light after a report about a family in Turin hosting an unknown newborn, while wiretaps revealed disturbing remarks about the child's fate.
