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Last Updated: Jun 23rd, 2008 - 16:51:01 |
AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Police across Europe have broken up an Iraqi-run network that smuggled illegal immigrants into the continent for fees of up to 12,000 euros (9,498 pounds) per person, European officials said on Monday.
"This was one of the largest coordinated actions against people smugglers ever, involving more than 1,300 police officers," Europol and Eurojust, the continent's Hague-based police and prosecution agencies, said in a joint statement.
They said police had arrested 75 people in joint investigations in Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Norway, the Netherlands, Sweden and Britain.
"All suspects are said to be involved in the clandestine smuggling of a large number of illegal immigrants into and within the European Union," Europol and Eurojust said.
Codenamed "Operation Baghdad" as it targeted a network mainly involving Iraqi nationals, Eurojust coordinated the investigation at the request of French magistrates and set up a centre in Paris to liaise between involved countries.
The network is accused of transporting illegal immigrants from Afghanistan, China, Turkey and Bangladesh to EU member states. One of the main organisers in France is believed to have smuggled in around 280 people in a six-month period.
The migrants paid 10,000 to 12,000 euros, often by wire transfer, and travelled in cramped conditions in camper vans, coaches, boats or even planes from Iraq via Turkey to Europe, Europol and Eurojust said.
Immigration is a sensitive issue in the EU, where voters' fears about security and unemployment clash with business pressure to admit more migrants to counter skills gaps.
EU lawmakers ruled last week that illegal immigrants can be detained for up to 18 months and face a re-entry ban of up to five years, measures that have prompted criticism the wealthy bloc is becoming a "Fortress Europe."
The European Commission estimates there are up to 8 million illegal migrants in the EU. More than 200,000 were arrested in the EU in the first half of 2007 with less than 90,000 expelled.
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