Over 260 arrested in Interpol migrant smuggling crackdown

LYON: More than 260 people were arrested and 41 migrant-smuggling networks between Africa and Europe were identified during an operation involving police forces from multiple countries, Interpol said on Tuesday.

The four-day operation, dubbed Communis Maris (“Common Sea” in Latin), was conducted from October 5 to 8 and led to the arrest of 221 suspected migrant smugglers and 16 alleged human traffickers, the Lyon-based international police organization said in a statement.

The crackdown, involving police forces from 16 countries across west and north Africa, Europe and the Middle East, uncovered 41 criminal organizations and triggered more than 430 investigations, Interpol said.