Five smugglers suspected of being "
directly linked
" to the shipwreck which claimed the lives of at least 27 migrants in the Channel on Wednesday 24 November have been arrested, said Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin.
He had specified, during a speech in Calais, that two of them were "
in the decision to be brought before the court
".
The fifth arrest was announced Thursday morning on RTL.
Read also Shipwreck in the Channel: Macron calls on Europe, right and RN denounce the "smugglers", the left calls for a better reception
"
I want to say here that those primarily responsible for this despicable situation are the smugglers
," added the minister in Calais.
Our police and our gendarmes are mobilized on a daily basis to fight against these criminals
”.
He also called for a "
very tough coordinated international response
" to this tragedy "
which affects us all
".
Among the victims are 17 men, seven women and three young people, according to the Lille prosecutor.
