The Hague, 5 December 2024
French and German authorities, supported by Eurojust and Europol, have rolled up a criminal network responsible for transporting equipment used to smuggle migrants to the United Kingdom. An international operation took place on 4 December where five suspects were arrested in France and eight suspects were arrested in Germany.
Investigations into the criminal network uncovered a sophisticated operation across multiple countries. Nautical equipment such as inflatable boats, life vests and engines was purchased in Turkey and then taken to a warehouse in Germany. Human smugglers then picked up the equipment from the warehouse to take it to the coast of northern France. From there, the smugglers used low-quality inflatable boats to smuggle migrants over the Channel to the United Kingdom.
Yesterday’s operation follows a cross-border investigation between French and German authorities, coordinated by Eurojust and Europol. French authorities became aware of the network’s activities and found that most of the suspects to be living Germany. At Eurojust, the authorities worked together to define a strategy to take down the network and arrest the suspects. Law enforcement agencies from France and Germany worked together on this operation through a dedicated Europol Operational Taskforce. A coordination centre at Eurojust on 4 December ensured that authorities were able to cooperate in real time while actions were executed.
Over 500 German officers were deployed in the early hours of 4 December to take down the criminal network and execute European Arrest Warrants and European Investigation Orders from France. During the operations on 4 December, 13 suspects were arrested, including a High Value Target. Authorities searched 15 homes and 10 warehouses in Germany. They were able to seize supplies such as inflatable boats, flotation devices for children, air pumps and engines, as well as electronic devices, arms and cash.
The following authorities were involved in the actions:
- France: JIRS Lille (Interregional Specialised Jurisdiction) – Court of Lille; French Border Police
- Germany: Public Prosecutor’s Office Düsseldorf; German Federal Police
Source – Eurojust