Arrest of six wanted human trafficking suspects in the UK
The National Crime Agency in the UK says it has arrested six people who were wanted in Belgium on suspicion of involvement in a human trafficking network.
According to British authorities, these individuals, all Afghan nationals, were arrested on Wednesday, February 12th, in the cities of Leicester and Birmingham in central England and Essex in the southeast of the country.
Belgian prosecutors say this group, active since 2022, has been involved in organizing the transfer of migrants from Afghanistan through Iran, Turkey, and the Balkan region to Western Europe, mainly France and Belgium.
The gang is also accused of assisting migrants whose asylum requests were rejected in Belgium to travel to the UK using small boats.
Three of these individuals appeared in Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London on Wednesday, and their extradition process has begun. The other three suspects are scheduled to appear in court on Thursday, February 13th.