Twenty-three people have been arrested in the Netherlands and France for smuggling up to 10,000 Kurdish migrants into the UK.

Eurojust, the EU’s agency for criminal justice cooperation, said on Wednesday that 19 people were arrested in France, while four were arrested in the Netherlands on suspicion of large-scale migrant smuggling.

It came after police in both countries conducted searches on five premises earlier this week amid a multi-agency investigation ongoing since August 2018.

According to Eurojust, the smuggling ring is believed to have transported around 10,000 Kurdish migrants from various car parks in France to the UK via refrigerated lorries and small rubber boats.

The fare for the cross-Channel journey could cost each passenger up to €7,000 (£6,000), and is said to have helped drum up €70m (£60m) in total profits for the network.

In the Netherlands, the Public Prosecution Service said on Tuesday the investigation last summer was expanded to include Dutch authorities after Dutch number plates cropped up during a French probe.

It said two of the men subsequently arrested had been involved in smuggling migrants into the Netherlands, while the other two were involved with smuggling migrants from France.

One of the men is said to have purchased a rubber boat that was later used for the crossing from Calais.

Sky News has contacted the French authorities for further details on the arrests.

The Home Office has so far declined to comment on the operation.

Source: Read Full Article