French authorities have arrested 26 individuals and seized assets worth 11 million euros ($12 million) in a major crackdown on a South Asian migrant trafficking network.
The operation, which targeted a group suspected of smuggling thousands of migrants from South Asia into France, was announced by border police on Thursday.
The trafficking ring allegedly charged between 15,000 and 26,000 euros per person to smuggle migrants, mostly from India, Sri Lanka, and Nepal, into France since September 2021. Authorities believe the network generated millions in illicit profits, which were laundered through construction businesses, gold trafficking, and informal money transfers to South Asia.
The arrests took place between March and November 2024, according to Julien Gentile, director of the French border force at Paris Charles De Gaulle airport. The smugglers facilitated the migrants’ travel to the European Union through Dubai or African countries, using fake tourist, work, or medical visas.
While 26 people have been arrested, the leader of the network remains at large, and France’s request for his extradition from Dubai is still pending. Of the 26 men arrested, 15 have been placed in pre-trial detention, and seven are under judicial supervision. Four others were recently arrested and were set to be presented to an investigating judge.
In addition to cash, the authorities seized luxury items such as real estate, cars, jewelry, and gold. Those arrested face charges related to smuggling, money laundering, and illegal financial operations.
