LOC20:39
17:39 GMT
BRUSSELS, Jan 30 (KUNA) -- A total of 103 persons suspected of being part
of a people-smuggling network were arrested throughout Europe yesterday, the
European police office, Europol, announced Wednesday.
The suspects were arrested in Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Germany,
Greece, Hungary, Poland, Slovak Republic, Turkey and Kosovo region.
All arrested persons are suspected of being involved in the clandestine
smuggling of a large number of irregular migrants into and within the European
Union mainly via Turkey and the Western Balkan region said Europol in a
statement in the Hague.
The irregular migrants were recruited mainly in Afghanistan, Iraq,
Pakistan, Syria and Turkey by the criminal network, which was using various
methods to smuggle them into and within the EU.
The migrants were often smuggled in inhuman and dangerous conditions, such
as in very small hidden compartments in the floor of buses or trucks, in
freight trains or on boats.
This is one of the largest co-ordinated actions against people smugglers
made at a European level, involving more than 1200 police officers, noted the
statement. (end)
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