On Saturday, the Libyan Public Prosecutor’s Office announced on its Facebook page that Libyan authorities had dismantled a network involved in human trafficking in a region in the southwestern part of the country and had arrested some of its members.

The statement indicated that the authorities had apprehended the leaders of the network, along with ten members, on charges of committing crimes against migrants, including murder, illegal detention, torture, and rape, according to Reuters.

The investigation documented abuses suffered by 1,300 migrants, including forced detention, torture, and extortion for their release.

Human traffickers operating in Libya have sent hundreds of thousands of migrants across the sea to Europe, particularly to Italy, since 2014. Thousands have died during these journeys.