62 arrested in Europol-Interpol human trafficking crackdown

This picture taken on November 23, 2021, shows the logo of Interpol during the 89th Interpol General Assembly in Istanbul. - On November 25, 2021, the delegates will elect the new Interpol President, who will replace the South Korean Kim Jong Yang. One of the candidates is Ahmed Nasser al-Raisi from the United Arab Emirates, who has been criticised for allegations of torture. (Photo by Ozan KOSE / AFP)

Law enforcement from five countries have disrupted an intercontinental criminal network that was smuggling migrants from Cuba to the European Union, with the move leading to the arrest of 62 people, Europol and Interpol, who coordinated the international investigation, said on Monday, according to Reuters.

A Europol statement said the criminal network focused on Cubans in vulnerable situations and that for 9,000 euros, it would organize their journey to Europe and provide false documentation.

In total, it is suspected that the criminal network successfully smuggled around 5,000 Cuban nationals into the EU.

Besides the arrests, police also seized 18 pieces of real estate, 33 vehicles, and 144 bank accounts, alongside vast sums of cash in various currencies.