Europol Dismantles Multiple Migrant Smuggling Rings in Europe

German, French, and Belgian police have arrested 19 people, including five leaders, in connection with a smuggling gang that operated in the English Channel, capable of sending eight vessels to the UK daily. The gang, comprised of Iraqi and Syrian nationals of Kurdish origin, obtained boats from China via Turkey and operated from Germany, crammed up to 55 people into a boat designed for 10, and charged between €1,000 and €3,000 for a place. The operation, described as "highly professional" by Europol, is linked to at least 55 crossings, and investigations into financial and money laundering activities are ongoing.