Police detain members of two human trafficking gangs
The Federal Police has detained the members of two gangs that were involved in human trafficking. One of the gangs charged its victims to be smuggled into the UK aboard lorries. The second gang was involved in the production of forged identity document. More than ten people have been detained over the past week. The first gang is made up of Sudanese human traffickers that arranged for people to be taken to the United Kingdom illegally in exchange for cash.
They smuggled their victims across the Channel by hiding them in the trailers of heavy goods vehicles without the drivers of the trucks being aware that the migrants were hiding their. Most of the members of the gang are Sudanese nationals. They lived at various addresses in Brussels and operated out of the Maximiliaan Park near to Brussels North Railway Station. The transit migrants were taken to Arlon (Luxembourg province) and were loaded onto the trailers at the motorway rest areas at Hondelange and Sterpenich.
The investigation into the gang’s activities got under way last December. A few days ago 10 suspects were detained. One at the rest area in Hondelange (Luxembourg province) and the others at five addresses in Brussels. Five transit migrants were found in a trailer during the operation at the Hondelange rest area. A further 30 were found at the five addresses searched in Brussels. 10 transit migrants have been taken to the secure migrant facility at Steenokkerzeel in Flemish Brabant, the rest were ordered to leave the country.
People trafficking with forged identity documents
The second gang is suspected of having sold its victims forged British passports in order to make their stay in Belgium easier.
Here too properties were searched (13 in total) and seven suspects were detained. In this case the role of a civil servant that works for a local municipal authority in Brussels is being investigated.