Transcontinental crime network dismantled in Europe

An operation was carried out against an intercontinental criminal network, coordinated by Europol and Interpol, which involved law enforcement officers from 5 countries and illegally smuggling Cuban citizens into European Union (EU) countries.

In the operation, 62 people were arrested, 25 of whom were Cuban citizens. The criminal network is thought to have brought some 5,000 Cuban citizens to the EU and earned around 45 million euros.

In the statement issued by the European Police Service (Europol), it was stated that law enforcement officers from Germany, Greece, North Macedonia, Spain and Serbia dismantled the criminal network. Reaching vulnerable Cubans by advertising their illegal services through a popular messaging app, members of the network arranged trips and transfers and provided false documents for 9,000 euros.

Members of the network moved people from Cuba to Serbia, taking advantage of the absence of visa requirements to enter Serbia at the time.

18 REAL ESTATE PROPERTY, 33 VEHICLES AND 144 BANK ACCOUNTS LOADED

Police seized various criminal assets, including hundreds of forged documents and forgery equipment, in the operation. In total, 18 properties, 33 vehicles and 144 bank accounts were seized, as well as large amounts of cash in various currencies.

The investigation was launched in 2021 after authorities in Serbia, Greece, North Macedonia and Finland reported an increase in the number of Cuban citizens trying to enter Europe with forged documents.

The route has changed since the Russia-Ukraine war; It was recorded that the Cubans were flown to Serbia via Germany’s Frankfurt airport, their irregular entry from Serbia into North Macedonia and Greece by road was provided, and they applied for asylum when they arrived in Greece. (DHA)