DHAKA: Italian prosecutors are investigating whether the wrong man was extradited to Italy in a major operation against people-smuggling.

Mered Medhanie is thought to be at the heart of a ring trafficking migrants from Africa to Europe, BBC reports on Thursday (June 9).

A 35-year-old Eritrean man said to be the suspect was detained in Sudan last month and flown to Rome on Tuesday.

People said to be friends and family of the detainee have told that he is Medhanie Tesfarmariam Berhe, 27.

Investigators say Mered Medhanie dubbed The General was responsible for the death of 359 migrants who drowned when their boat sank off the Italian coast in October 2013.

The man who was extradited was arrested by Sudanese police with the help of the British and Italian authorities, the UK's National Crime Agency (NCA) said.

BDST: 2008 HRS, June 9, 2016
SAS/AKA