A third Albanian has been arrested on suspicion of being a member of a people smuggling gang. The gang used speedboats to smuggle other Albanians across the Channel into the UK.
Third cross-Channel people smuggling gang suspect arrested
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On October 30 last year police intercepted a speedboat that had gone to the beach at De Panne (West Flanders) to pick up a group of 12 Albanian nationals that were hoping to be smuggled into the UK. Police were able to arrest two of the people smugglers that were in the speedboat.
However, a third member of the gang was able to get away. 12 people that had paid the gang to get them across the channel (8 men, 3 women and a five-year-old child) were found by police on the beach. The two suspects, aged 34 and 44, that were detained in October are still in custody awaiting trial.
On the beach, the police found the 12 victims of human smuggling: 8 men, 3 women and a 5-year-old child. The suspects were men aged 34 and 44. On Wednesday a third suspect, a 47-year-old Albanian who had applied for asylum in Belgium together with his family, was detained.
The West Flemish Judicial Authorities say that the man has been formally arrested by the Examining Magistrate.