human smugglers

Europe News

French court convicts 18 people in migrant smuggling trial

The defendants were part of a smuggling gang accused of overseeing most Channel crossings on small boats from France to the UK from 2000 to 2022.

05/11/2024

Bulgaria

Eight arrested in Bulgaria migrant smuggling ring bust

Smugglers were charging up to €6,000 per head to smuggle migrants to Bulgaria, Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina.

21/08/2024

Spain

Spanish hero saves migrants forced off speedboat at gunpoint

It took Javier González a minute to reach the migrants who had been forced from the speedboat off the Spanish coast, but by the time he got there, one of them had already died.

04/12/2023

Europe News

Brussels warns of 'consequences' of repeal of Niger anti-smuggling law

The Niger junta's decision to repeal an eight-year-old law designed to crack down on migrant smugglers could lead to an influx of migrants into Europe, according to EU home affairs chief Ylva Johansson.

28/11/2023

Europe News

Migrant smugglers to face up to 15 years in prison under new EU rules

The European Commission is seeking to toughen penalties for human traffickers as the bloc struggles to bring down the number of migrants lured in by networks of smugglers.

28/11/2023

World News

Euroviews. These are the unspoken truths about human smuggling

To truly disrupt the underpinnings of smuggling networks, mere security enhancements won't cut it. We might find more success in reducing the demand for smuggling services rather than suppressing its supply, Dr Luigi Achilli writes.

09/10/2023

Bulgaria

Bulgaria arrests alleged human smugglers in nationwide raids

Bulgaria has emerged as a transit point to enter central and western Europe through illicit means.

19/07/2023

Austria

Austria tightens border security, as Hungary releases people smugglers

Budapest released hundreds of foreign prisoners convicted of people smuggling, and gave them just 72 hours to leave the country.

22/05/2023

France

French police dismantle gang smuggling migrants across Channel

Six people were arrested and taken into custody during the operation.

08/12/2022

Germany

Germany arrests four members of suspected migrant smuggling ring

The criminal gang allegedly trafficked Middle Eastern migrants to Germany via Poland and Belarus.

07/12/2022

Portugal

Portugal arrests 35 people over suspected migrant smuggling ring

The criminal gang allegedly exploited migrants on farms in the southern Alentejo region.

23/11/2022

Hungary

Two suspected smugglers arrested after Budapest gunfight, police chase

The men had fled the authorities in a van carrying 21 suspected migrants.

14/11/2022

World News

Police arrest 39 people on suspicion of smuggling migrants to UK

The suspects are accused of trafficking up to 10,000 people across the English Channel in small boats in the last year.

05/07/2022

World News

Europol operation targets online trafficking of Ukrainian refugees

Nine suspects and nine possible victims have been identified so far, with suspicious posts found in 14 different countries in one single day.

23/06/2022

Austria

Austrian government dismantles international migrant smuggling group

The network had allegedly trafficked thousands of Syrian refugees to Western Europe.

12/05/2022

Belgium

Belgian court sentences migrant smuggling leader for UK lorry deaths

Vo Van Hong was found guilty of leading a human trafficking group based in Belgium.

19/01/2022

Germany

German police target alleged human smuggling with nationwide raids

The smuggling ring is accused of forging EU citizenship documents and placing the workers with large logistics companies.

08/12/2021

Austria

Austria arrests 15 people suspected of smuggling migrants

The suspects transported more than 700 people at a total cost of more than €2.5 million, police said.

27/11/2021

World News

Police bust criminal group smuggling Afghan migrants to western Europe

The criminals pushed migrants into the back of large lorries while drivers were sleeping, said Europol.

06/10/2021

Republic of North Macedonia

North Macedonian police arrest six people over migrant smuggling ring

Police in North Macedonia say they have "suppressed" a criminal ring that was smuggling Middle Eastern migrants into the country from Greece.

03/06/2021