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Biography
Kidane Zekarias Habtemariam is an Eritrean human trafficker. He was wanted for large-scale human trafficking of people from Africa to Europe. He is described as "one of the world's most notorious and most brutal human traffickers".
Habtemariam smuggled migrants from Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia and Sudan, through Libya to Europe. Victims faced aggravated beatings, kidnappings and rapings. The man is said to have earned as much money as possible of migrants. He operated a warehouse -Bani Walid in Libya. According to the Dutch Public Prosecution Service he led an 'extremely violent criminal organization'.
Habtemariam worked with another human trafficker, Tewelde Goitom.
In 2020 Habtemariam was arrested in Ethiopia. In 2021 he escaped custody. He was later sentenced in absentia to life in prison. The United Arab Emirates tracked him down in a money laundering investigation. He was arrested on 1 January 2023 in Sudan.