An Iraqi man has been arrested as part of a Europe-wide operation against people smugglers transporting boats to northern France to be used to cross the English Channel.
The boats and other equipment were hidden in specially modified vehicles.
The 25-year-old, who has been living in Germany, was detained at Charleroi Airport in Belgium while attempting to board a flight to Greece. He was arrested on suspicion of being part of a criminal people smuggling organisation.
His arrest was one of seven made as part of an investigation that targeted a criminal network based in Germany, which smuggled Middle Eastern and East African migrants across the English Channel with low-quality inflatable boats, said Europol.
The criminal network, active since 2023, transported nautical equipment from storage spaces in Germany to be deployed in northern France.
“Drivers recruited via online platforms for this purpose transported the boats, jackets and other gear in modified vehicles with darkened windows and special compartments for the transportation of the equipment,” said Europol, the EU’s law enforcement agency.
“The criminal network was highly co-ordinated, arranging several trips per day. The illicit proceeds were laundered via the Hawala underground banking system.”
As part of the operation German Federal Police also raided eight properties and three storage, making five arrests, in the of North Rhine-Westphalia, on Thursday under warrants issued by a Belgian Court. Officers seized 90 life vests, jerry cans, two firearms and more than 47 electronic devices.
Another arrest was made in Calabria, in Italy, also a warrants issued by the court. The Iraqi man, who is in custody, appeared before a judge on March 11, the day after he was arrested, but was not disclosed Europol until today.
Smuggling hotspot
An investigation by The National recently revealed that Hawala is an essential part of the people smugglers’ operations in northern France and Iraqi Kurdistan.
The system allows money to be received from migrants and transferred among the smugglers away from the prying eyes of law enforcement.
The investigation exposed the town of Ranya in Iraqi Kurdistan as a hub for people smuggling.
Other Europol-led action against people smugglers has included dismantling a gang of people smugglers responsible for trafficking 700 migrants from Turkey through Bulgaria and Serbia to parts of the EU.
The Syrian-led gang in one incident smuggled 150 people in the back of a lorry, according to the EU's law enforcement agency Europol.
Meanwhile, An Iraqi-born people smuggler who boasted of making $2 million arranging for migrants to cross the English Channel illegally in small boats was recently sentenced to nearly five years in jail.
Pistiwan Jameel, 55, who came to the UK from Iraq in 2002, had contacts with people-smuggling gangs in France and would broker spaces for his clients while also collecting payments in the UK.
In 2024, more than 36,000 migrants and 680 boats successfully reached the UK, up from approximately 28, 000 migrants and 580 boats during the same period in 2023.
The number of lives lost has also risen with 78 deaths at sea were recorded in 2024, compared to 12 in 2023.
So far in 2025, 4,684 migrants have successfully reached the UK, with around 2,000 of those arriving in the past three weeks.
Explore more
Investigation: Hunting trafficking's big boss inside Kurdistan's smuggling hotspot
Underground: Kurdish trafficker sending migrants to Europe in hiding after crackdown
Podcast: Are UK crackdowns deterring Iraqi Kurdish smugglers?
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
More on Quran memorisation:
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Five%20calorie-packed%20Ramadan%20drinks
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERooh%20Afza%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3E100ml%20contains%20414%20calories%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETang%20orange%20drink%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3E100ml%20serving%20contains%20300%20calories%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECarob%20beverage%20mix%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3E100ml%20serving%20contains%20about%20300%20calories%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EQamar%20Al%20Din%20apricot%20drink%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3E100ml%20saving%20contains%2061%20calories%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EVimto%20fruit%20squash%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3E100ml%20serving%20contains%2030%20calories%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The biog
Name: Marie Byrne
Nationality: Irish
Favourite film: The Shawshank Redemption
Book: Seagull by Jonathan Livingston
Life lesson: A person is not old until regret takes the place of their dreams
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
The five pillars of Islam
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The biog
Favourite films: Casablanca and Lawrence of Arabia
Favourite books: Start with Why by Simon Sinek and Good to be Great by Jim Collins
Favourite dish: Grilled fish
Inspiration: Sheikh Zayed's visionary leadership taught me to embrace new challenges.
Key figures in the life of the fort
Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.
Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.
Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.
Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.
Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae
Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill
Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
As You Were
Liam Gallagher
(Warner Bros)
Water waste
In the UAE’s arid climate, small shrubs, bushes and flower beds usually require about six litres of water per square metre, daily. That increases to 12 litres per square metre a day for small trees, and 300 litres for palm trees.
Horticulturists suggest the best time for watering is before 8am or after 6pm, when water won't be dried up by the sun.
A global report published by the Water Resources Institute in August, ranked the UAE 10th out of 164 nations where water supplies are most stretched.
The Emirates is the world’s third largest per capita water consumer after the US and Canada.
Election pledges on migration
CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections"
SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"
The specs
Engine: 2.3-litre, turbo four-cylinder
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Power: 300hp
Torque: 420Nm
Price: Dh189,900
On sale: now
