Law enforcement authorities from Germany, France, and Belgium conducted large-scale raids on Wednesday against members of a suspected migrant smuggling network. The raids were part of a coordinated operation by Europol and Eurojust, the EU’s law enforcement and judicial cooperation agencies.
Over 15 individuals were arrested in Belgium and France based on European arrest warrants issued after an 18-month joint investigation. The suspects are believed to have smuggled migrants from France to the UK using small, low-quality boats to cross the English Channel.
The investigation focused specifically on an Iraqi-Kurdish network accused of smuggling Middle Eastern and East African migrants. According to Europol, over 29,400 migrants arrived in Britain via the Channel crossing in 2022 alone.
In Germany, around 700 police officers participated in raids focused primarily in North Rhine-Westphalia. Arrest warrants were issued in the double digits, according to local authorities. Additional raids took place in the German states of Hesse, Bavaria, and Schleswig-Holstein.
The coordinated raids underscore increased European cooperation against migrant smuggling networks amidst rising Channel crossing attempts. Europol is expected to release further details on the cross-border operation later on Wednesday as authorities continue investigations.