A court in Sicily of Italy has convicted 20 Somalis who had received political asylum in Italy of a role in a vast criminal organization focused on migrant-smuggling, according to Fox News.

Prosecutors in Catania said Monday that the defendants were part of an international migrant-smuggling ring that demanded "large sums of money" from migrants from Kenya and Somalia to enter Italy.

They then helped them continue their journey to destinations in northern Europe, especially Sweden.

Their convictions bring to 42 the number of people found guilty of involvement in the same smuggling ring, which was operating throughout Italy.

Italy, which has saved some 200,000 migrants at sea since the beginning of 2014, has sought to crack down on human traffickers to help deal with the huge influx of migrants reaching its shores.