A police operation across four European countries resulted in the dismantling of a criminal network that transported migrants across the Channel.
It was coordinated by the European Judicial Cooperation Unit Eurojust, which is based in The Hague, and the European Police Agency Europol.
Started Monday, the operation involved authorities in the United Kingdom, France, Belgium and the Netherlands.
Twelve suspects were arrested: seven in France, three in the United Kingdom and two in the Netherlands, detailed Eurojust, without giving the exact number of migrants concerned.
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The network consisted mainly of Iranians living in France, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.
He is suspected of having made “huge profits” from smuggling migrants, charging an average of 3,000 euros per person for the crossing.
Overloaded boats, difficult weather conditions
The traffickers endangered the lives of “hundreds of migrants”, smuggling them from France to the UK on small overloaded boats and often in difficult weather conditions.
The police seized in particular ten inflatable and motor boats, vehicles, more than 150 life jackets and approximately 48,000 euros in cash.
In addition, in Calais (Pas-de-Calais), the French police on Tuesday dismantled a migrant camp where about 800 people lived.
This is the largest operation of this type since the evacuation of the “Jungle” in 2016.
The police evacuated a migrant camp in Calais / AFP