26 coordinated arrests in Belgium and France of suspects of a migrant smuggling criminal group

26 suspected members of a major migrant smuggling group, which transported mainly Asian refugees, have been arrested after simultaneous searches in Belgium and France in early morning raids on 26 May. The action is the result of a cross-border investigation supported by Eurojust and Europol which looks at the criminal activity of people smuggling across the continent, and was prompted by the discovery of 39 deceased Vietnamese nationals inside a refrigerated trailer in Essex in the United Kingdom in October 2019.