‘Delocation’ file against human trafficking

22 May 2015

Early May 2015, the Federal Judicial Police of East Flanders, under the leadership of the investigating judge of Dendermonde, started an investigation into a group of Kurdish traffickers of human beings that used car parks on the E40 and E17 motorways to smuggle illegal immigrants into Great Britain. The investigation began following the interception of 2 victims by the highway police of East Flanders.

The gang smuggled up to 20 people every night in cargo spaces of lorries going to Britain. By giving priority to the use of insulated refrigerated lorries, traffickers endangered the lives of their victims because of the suffocation risk. They asked them up to EUR 2,000 for the Channel crossing.

Between 22 May and 25 November 2015, several kingpins of the organisation were arrested: a total of 10 Kurdish suspects originally from Iraq, aged between 26 and 41 years. They were placed at the disposal of the investigating judge and arrest warrants were issued against them. On 7 January 2016, two more suspects could be arrested in Great Britain thanks to the excellent international cooperation with the National Crime Agency.

The outcome of the investigations in Belgium supported by the British authorities can be seen as an important victory in the struggle against organised human trafficking.