INTERPOL arrests 262 migrant smugglers in 16 countries

An International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL)-led international operation targeting migrant smuggling networks operating across the Mediterranean Sea and the West African Atlantic route has resulted in the arrest of 262 suspects and the launch of 434 new criminal investigations.

The four-day operation also uncovered 41 organised criminal groups allegedly involved in migrant smuggling, underscoring the scale of transnational trafficking networks operating across Africa, Europe, and the Middle East.

INTERPOL, in a statement on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, said in one of the major breakthroughs, Libyan authorities rescued 34 suspected victims of human trafficking and arrested three individuals believed to be members of an organised criminal syndicate involved in human trafficking, migrant smuggling and extortion.

INTERPOL disclosed that participating law enforcement agencies screened more than 378,000 people, intensified surveillance at key migration hotspots and border crossings, and followed up on intelligence and investigative leads during the coordinated operation.

Offa robbery: Saraki accuses Kwara govt of political persecution

It said the operation led to the identification of 109 potential victims of human trafficking, while 1,715 irregular migrants were also detected.

INTERPOL said the initiative brought together law enforcement and border management agencies from 16 countries spanning North and West Africa, Southern Europe and the Middle East.

The operation was coordinated by INTERPOL with operational support from Europol, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex), AFRIPOL, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).