Afghanistan, July 19 -- Europol said it has dismantled a suspected human smuggling network that transported Afghan migrants from Turkiye through the Balkans to Western Europe, following a joint operation with Bulgarian and Serbian authorities that resulted in the arrest of five suspects, including an alleged ringleader and two police officers.
In a statement issued on Friday, Europol said the criminal network had been operating since 2025, organizing the movement of Afghan migrants from Turkiye into Bulgaria before facilitating their transit through Serbia and onward to Western European countries. The operation was carried out in coordination with law enforcement authorities in Bulgaria and Serbia as part of broader efforts to combat organ...