A key Vietnamese illegal immigrant network was broken up yesterday when police, supported by Europol, raided houses in France and Germany, arresting 21 people in France and one in Germany.
The investigation focused on suspects who smuggle illegal migrants from Vietnam via France, the Czech Republic and Germany to the United Kingdom. The migrants were offered two travel options: an economy or VIP package (from Vietnam to the UK) ranging from 18 000 to 35 000 euros per person for the entire journey.
The price paid by the immigrants is a huge amount of money for a normal Vietnamese family considering that the average salary in Vietnam is around 100 euros a month. Migrants are often forced to sell their houses and property to fund the journey and end up forced to work at cannabis plantations or nail salons.
The criminal network provided the immigrants with valid Polish or Czech tourist visas issued on false grounds. Once the migrants arrived in Europe they were accommodated in safe houses around the Paris area or in a camp near Angres, waiting to be smuggled to the UK via trucks or cars.
The organised criminal group was uncovered after a joint cross border investigation which was supported by Europol. Throughout the investigation, which started in January 2011, Europol prepared several intelligence reports and facilitated the exchange of information.
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