Polish authorities have arrested six more people in an international investigation into a criminal network accused of smuggling migrants from the Middle East into Europe, police in the southern Polish region of Silesia announced in a statement on Wednesday (June 24).

The arrests were carried out on June 15 during coordinated raids across Silesia and the Małopolska region. The operation involved officers from the Silesian police, the Carpathian Border Guard Unit and international partners from Germany and Belgium, with support from Europol.

Authorities have described the crackdown as a significant disruption to a major irregular migration pathway, the Balkan route, into the European Union. The group had been operating since at least 2023 and was involved in organizing the irregular movement of migrants along the route, from the Middle East through southeastern Europe toward destinations in Western Europe, according to authorities.

The network is said to have helped facilitate crossings through several countries before migrants ultimately reached Germany, reported the Polish public broadcaster TVP.

Police said the latest operation has helped dismantle part of one of the most frequently used migrant-smuggling routes into Europe and contributed to efforts to strengthen security along the Schengen area's external borders.

Read AlsoHopes and fears surround implementation of new EU migration pact

Who are the suspects?

The six suspects, who are all Polish citizens, include two women aged 26 and 31, a 34-year-old man from Świętochłowice, a 48-year-old from Ruda Śląska, a 50-year-old from Mysłowice and a 31-year-old man from Kraków.

The suspects face allegations including participation in an organized criminal group, facilitating irregular border crossings, money laundering, large-scale drug possession and drug trafficking, according to the police statement.

Criminal network tied to people and drug smuggling

The arrests form part of a wider cross-border investigation that has so far resulted in the detention of 27 suspects. Prosecutors say that the criminal organization included individuals connected to football hooligan circles associated with clubs in the Silesia region. The network was also involved in drug-related activities, such as "trafficking of significant amounts of drugs," Silesian police stated.

During the latest raids, officers seized approximately two kilograms of narcotics from properties linked to two of the suspects. Investigators also recovered financial documentation from a company allegedly used to launder proceeds generated by the criminal operation.

The case is being overseen by prosecutors from the Silesian branch of Poland's Department for Organized Crime and Corruption and is being pursued through a joint investigation team including Polish, German and Belgian law-enforcement agencies.

Read Also'Desperation is a powerful driver': How people fall into human trafficking networks

Polish police team up with Europol and other European countries to tackle smuggling

Authorities say they have also strengthened intelligence-sharing through Europol's Operational Taskforce and the European Centre Against Migrant Smuggling, exchanging information with law-enforcement agencies across Central and Eastern Europe such as in Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Germany, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Ukraine, and Austria, to try to identify and dismantle wider migrant-smuggling networks.

The latest arrests follow earlier crack downs in the same investigation, including operations in Poland, Germany and Belgium. Those detained have been placed under police supervision and banned from leaving the country while the investigation continues.