A coordinated crackdown by law enforcement agencies from Belgium, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom resulted in the significant arrest of a Turkish national in Amsterdam.
This suspect is believed to be a key player in supplying small boats to human smugglers facilitating the illegal transportation of migrants across the perilous English Channel. The 44-year-old was apprehended at Schipol Airport in Amsterdam on Wednesday and is now facing potential extradition to Belgium to face serious charges related to human smuggling, according to the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA).
The arrested individual is accused of transporting boats and engines from Turkey to smugglers operating in northern France after storing these supplies in Germany. Rob Jones, NCA’s director general, emphasized the importance of this arrest: “This operation is a crucial step in one of the NCA’s most substantial investigations into organized immigration crime. The vessels and engines utilized for these crossings are often extremely unsafe and not suitable for open waters.”
Tragically, at least 50 lives have been lost this year alone in attempts to navigate the treacherous waters of the English Channel. Current data reveals that over 32,000 migrants have made this dangerous journey in 2024, surpassing the total of 29,437 from all of 2023.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer characterized the arrest as a “significant piece of the jigsaw” in the ongoing battle against illegal Channel crossings.
The NCA is currently spearheading around 70 active investigations targeting individuals and networks deeply embedded in organized immigration crime and human trafficking.
The successful arrest of this Turkish national was made possible through collaborative efforts among police forces in Belgium, the UK, and the Netherlands, along with support from European justice agencies Eurojust and Europol.
A spokesperson from the West-Flanders public prosecutor’s office stated, “Human smuggling criminals disregard national borders, and we are committed to pursuing these individuals through international cooperation.”
Earlier in the month, a major trial in France culminated in the conviction of 18 individuals associated with a criminal syndicate linked to the majority of migrant crossings in fragile boats from 2020 to 2022.
Photo credit & article inspired by: Euronews
