Eight alleged migrant smugglers were recently arrested by Bulgarian law enforcement authorities in a crackdown coordinated by Europol. The suspects were involved in smuggling migrants from Turkey into Bulgaria, Serbia, and Bosnia-Herzegovina via the Western Balkan route. The gang charged migrants between €4,000 to €6,000 per head for their services.
The investigation involved Bulgarian, Romanian, and Moldovan law enforcement officers and targeted high-value individuals who played a leading role in the criminal activities. During the raids in Plovdiv, Bulgaria’s second-largest city, police seized weapons, ammunition, and mobile phones. It was revealed that the gang members were primarily Syrian and Jordan nationals, with Bulgarian nationals handling logistics and Moldovans recruited as drivers.
Migrants would cross the Turkey-Bulgaria border on foot with the help of guides provided by ring members in Turkey. Once in Bulgaria, they were transported to the Bulgaria-Serbia or Bulgaria-Romania border before heading to other European destinations. The drivers were paid €100 per person transported and communicated with gang members using disappearing messages on phone apps.
The Western Balkan route is a major migratory road into Europe, with nearly 100,000 incidents of illegal crossings into the EU reported in 2023. The arrests highlight the ongoing efforts to curb migrant smuggling activities in the region and target the individuals responsible for exploiting vulnerable migrants for financial gain.
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