Authorities across Europe have dismantled a transnational criminal network that had allegedly smuggled over 1,000 migrants from Vietnam into the United Kingdom via France. Authorities arrested 16 suspects in France and three in the United Kingdom during a series of coordinated raids on March 30.
In the early morning hours of March 30, authorities arrested a total of 19 suspects -- 16 in France and three in the United Kingdom -- who were linked to the activities of a transnational smuggling gang bringing people to the EU and the UK from Vietnam, using irregular and exploitative means.
The suspects are believed to have operated at different levels of the network, from those in charge of finances to those arranging for the accommodation of irregular Vietnamese migrants hiding in the UK and France.
More than 40 irregular migrants were also discovered during the raids conducted in France.
Authorities seized multiple assets including one apartment, nine cars, electronic devices, identity and travel documents as well as an undisclosed amount of cash. Following the operation, two bank accounts linked to the suspected smugglers were frozen.
During the operation, authorities discovered that the smuggling ring had generated profits of more than 1.6 million euros through its migrant smuggling activities based on an estimated turnover of 50 million euros.
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Owing debt to dangerous smugglers
The criminal network reportedly organized more than 200 transports of irregular Vietnamese migrants from France to the United Kingdom, resulting in the clandestine migration of over 1,000 people.
For the most part, they were hidden in lorries travelling from ports in northern France to the UK. In some cases, small boats were also used to move people irregularly across the English Channel amid heightened efforts in Britain to stop such irregular entries. A spike in people smuggling of Vietnamese nationals has led the UK government to approach Vietnam for bilateral agreements, including a recent returns deal.
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According to Eurojust, migrants had to pay up to 50,000 euros per person to ultimately reach their destination. The final leg from France to the UK alone could cost around 10,000 euros in many cases.
The EU agency added however that many migrants would not be able to pay the full fee upfront, resulting in many reaching Britain with significant debt owed to the smuggling gang.
Eurojust says that this "made them vulnerable to sexual and labor exploitation to repay their smuggling fees."
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Authorities across Europe working against smugglers
The raids to bring down the ring were coordinated as part of an international cooperation initiative; during the investigation and on the action day, a joint investigation team between Belgian, French and UK authorities was set up by Eurojust with the help of Europol.
Eurojust said that this approach had the intention of achieving a "fast, effective and efficient collaboration, as well as the smooth exchange of information and evidence."
Europol analysts were also part of the operation, including in the action on March 30.
Combatting irregular migration remains "a key criminal threat for the EU, requiring coordinated action across the entire criminal chain – from recruitment and transit to the financial flows that support it," said Europol.
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To boost the EU agency's powers in combatting migrant smuggling, a new EU regulation was adopted in December 2025 to set up further capacities in the fight against smugglers and traffickers.
As part of that directive, Europol has also just launched the European Centre Against Migrant Smuggling (ECAMS), which will ensure "better systematic exchange of information and coordination of efforts" and facilitate closer cooperation between Frontex, Eurojust, and individual EU member states.