Europol have arrested fifteen suspected members of an internationally operating smuggling network in a multi-stage operation on Wednesday, with six arrested in Belgium.
The investigation has overseen the arrests of smugglers stemming from Germany, Poland, and Belgium since September 2024.
Investigators suspect the majority of gang members are residing in Belgium, where they are mainly recruiting drivers and overseeing financial aspects of the criminal network.
The discovery began with a routine immigration check in Germany where a driver was taken in for questioning following unclear documentation.
It was uncovered that the driver may have smuggled and dropped off three non-EU nationals that day, linking the individual to broader schemes that oversaw the illegal smuggling of 300 non-EU nationals into member states between 2022 and 2024.
The Polish members of the criminal organisation have smuggled migrants from majority Middle Eastern countries into the EU along the Balkan route relying on a legally operating Polish transport company. The same members have been linked to drug production and trafficking of amphetamines, cocaine and marijuana.
The various action days saw the seizure of criminal assets as well as the arrests. The multi-stage operation facilitates cross-border judicial cooperation between the participating states of Belgium, Poland, Germany, and Austria.
