Law enforcement have arrested 62 members of an intercontinental criminal network smuggling migrants from Cuba to the European Union, with 25 of the arrestees being Cuban nationals, the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol) said on Monday
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 24th July, 2023) Law enforcement have arrested 62 members of an intercontinental criminal network smuggling migrants from Cuba to the European Union, with 25 of the arrestees being Cuban nationals, the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol) said on Monday.
"Law enforcement from five countries have disrupted an intercontinental criminal network smuggling migrants from Cuba to the European Union. The investigation, coordinated by Europol and INTERPOL (the International Criminal Police Organization), led to the arrest of 62 persons, 25 of which were Cuban nationals," Europol said in a statement.
Members of the network advertised their illicit services through a well-known messaging application. They offered Cubans in need help in transporting them to the EU and forging false documents. Criminals flew people from Cuba to Serbia, then transferred them to Greece, from where they were sent to Spain. Criminal services were provided at a cost of around 9,000 euros ($9,980). Serbia was chosen as an arrival point for the lack of visa requirements to enter the country at the time.
"In total, it is suspected that the criminal network successfully smuggled around 5,000 Cuban nationals into the EU, generating a profit of around EUR 45 million," the statement read.
The investigation uncovered "a complex criminal infrastructure set up in many cities across Spain, Greece and in Serbia," Europol said. During the raids in June 2023, law enforcement seized 18 pieces of real estate, 33 vehicles,144 bank accounts and vast amount of cash in various currencies.
