PARIS (Reuters) – A criminal network that smuggled 1,700 illegal immigrants from Spain to France was dismantled by French and Spanish police this month with support from Europol, the EU law enforcement agency said on Friday, and 19 people were arrested.
Migrants mostly from North Africa, but also from sub-Saharan Africa and Syria, were picked up near train stations in northeast Spain, then transported to Marseille in the south of France.
“Between May 2023 and August 2024, more than 500 smuggling operations were organised, with an estimated turnover of between 250,000 euros and 427,000 euros, from about 1,700 migrants transported to France,” Europol said.
(Reporting by Dominique Vidalon; Editing by Kevin Liffey)
