European raids target trafficking gangs

Police across Europe have launched a series of raids against a gang that is suspected of bringing in over 2,000 illegal migrants across the EU.

A total of 23 suspected gang members have so far been arrested – five from within the UK, two from Greece and Holland, thirteen from France and one from Italy. According to officials who carried out the operation almost all of the trafficker’s victims were from Afghanistan or Iraq.

A small number of illegal immigrants were also arrested during the course of the raids, with six people held in the UK according to the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA).

SOCA claimed that a variety of searches had netted more than £14,000 and a range of mobile phones, sim cards and various identification documents. The British arrests were made at Stockport, Leeds, Glasgow, Gloucester and Birmingham.

SOCA officials believe that the criminal syndicate was charging migrants anywhere up to 4,000 euros (£3,500) for what they promised would be a door-to-door delivery service.

In a statement released by SOCA, the group revealed that the operation has been led by Ocriest, the French anti-illegal immigration taskforce. The raids were conducted with the help of security officers from within the host countries along with intelligence received from the European criminal intelligence agency Europol.

According to Europol, which is based in The Hague, investigations had uncovered a route used by traffickers which ran from Iraq through France and eventually into Sweden.

All those arrested in the UK are scheduled to appear in court this week.