German Police, assisted by European allies, dismantle major migrant smuggling network

Europol has successfully dismantled massive migrant smuggling operation in Channel, involving teams from Germany, France, and Belgium

In a remarkable display of international cooperation with teams from Germany, France, and Belgium recently achieved a major victory against human trafficking by dismantling a massive migrant smuggling operation in the Channel, Europol said Thursday. This network, described as one of the largest of its kind, was expertly unraveled following the arrest of 19 individuals suspected of running this illicit enterprise.

The heart of this operation was an Iraqi-Kurdish ring that specialized in moving people from the Middle East and East Africa across European borders, aiming for the UK. These journeys were made in dangerously inadequate inflatable boats, risking the lives of those aboard for the promise of a new beginning. The crackdown involved raids on homes and storage units across Germany, uncovering boats, equipment, and even weapons, painting a vivid picture of the scale and resources involved in this shadowy business.

Europol’s investigation, launched in late 2022, peeled back the layers of a network primarily consisting of Iraqi and Syrian Kurds. These individuals orchestrated a complex scheme involving the procurement and transport of these flimsy vessels, launching them from near Calais, France, towards the British shores. Charging thousands of euros for a spot on these overcrowded boats, the smugglers preyed on the desperation of migrants, putting countless lives at risk for profit.

The danger of these crossings was highlighted by recent rescues, including one involving a four-month-old baby, and by tragic incidents like the one on Feb. 16, where 125 irregular migrants were rescued in the Aegean Sea. The crackdown on this network signals a broader effort to curb the dangerous crossings and dismantle the criminal networks behind them, with a noted decrease in such incidents and the number of migrants attempting the journey in 2023.

Source: AFP