Balkan human trafficking ring dismantled, 18 arrested
(ZAGREB) - Croat, Bosnian and Slovenian police have smashed a Balkan human trafficking ring, arresting 18 people suspected of having smuggled Turkish nationals to European Union countries, officials said here on Thursday.
The group was made up of traffickers from Albania, Bosnia, Croatia, Slovenia and Turkey and had smuggled at least 100 Turkish nationals to the EU, earning at least 200,000 euros ($244,000), a Croatian police official was quoted by the HINA news agency as saying.
The international police operation, launched in October, culminated with the simultaneous arrests in Croatia, Bosnia and Slovenia, including the main organiser from Croatia.
The Balkans region is often used as a transit route for people, drugs and weapons' trafficking into western Europe.
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