A major migrant smuggling network operating across the English Channel was dismantled with the arrest of 19 individuals in Germany, including the leader and four main organizers, Reuters reports.
The operation, conducted with German, French, and Belgian police, targeted an Iraqi-Kurdish network suspected of smuggling Middle Eastern and East African migrants from France to the UK using low-quality inflatable boats.
The suspects organized the purchase, storage, and transportation of the boats, typically of Chinese origin, to smuggle migrants from beaches near Calais, France, to the UK. Each boat, designed for a maximum of 10 passengers, would often carry 50 migrants, charging them between 1,000-3,000 euros each.
The Wave task force, behind the arrests, seized 24 inflatable boats, nautical equipment, electronic devices, weapons, and thousands of euros in cash after searching 28 locations in Germany. Approximately 900 German police officers participated in the operation.
