Europol has successfully dismantled a major cross-national migrant smuggling ring, with the support of French and Italian authorities.
The coordinated operation, which took place on April 1st, involved around 300 gendarmerie officials in France and numerous federal police officers in Italy, resulting in 24 arrests of suspected migrant smugglers.
The operation targeted a gang suspected of using the so-called ‘Balkan route’ to smuggle migrants into the European Union. Authorities carried out 24 property searches and seized three vehicles and various communication devices linked to the operation.
Europol’s efforts were supported by authorities in Croatia, Greece, Hungary, Italy, and Serbia, with the agency facilitating information exchange, providing analytical support, and deploying an expert to assist with real-time coordination. The investigation revealed that the criminal group’s leaders were based in another EU country, and they coordinated smuggling operations through a network of French nationals who recruited drivers in Strasbourg and Paris.
These drivers would transport migrants from Serbia into the EU using rental vehicles. Although primarily involved in one segment of the operation, the drivers were part of a larger logistical system designed to reduce the risk to the network if certain members were arrested.
The drivers, who sometimes overloaded vehicles, faced significant health and safety risks when transporting migrants, often with up to 30 people per journey. In return, drivers could earn up to 12,000 euros per successful mission, but only after providing recorded evidence of the transport. Europol has indicated these videos may serve as proof of their participation in the criminal network.
The investigation, which began in late 2022, has revealed that the gang was deeply embedded in several EU border regions, particularly in Hungary, Austria, and Croatia. These operations were linked to other criminal activities within the EU, underscoring the wide-reaching impact of the smuggling organization.
Europol continues to investigate the case, with potential further arrests expected.
