Europol Cracks Down on Migrant Smugglers

Europol has announced the arrest of four individuals involved in a large-scale migrant smuggling operation across the Western Balkans. The operation, conducted under Europol’s dedicated Operational Task Force, dismantled a criminal network responsible for smuggling over 600 migrants from Bosnia and Herzegovina to Croatia and other EU countries.

The arrests were made following a coordinated investigation by law enforcement authorities from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, and Slovenia. The operation reached its peak on September 17, 2025, when the leader of the network, identified as a high-value target, was apprehended along with three other suspects. Law enforcement conducted searches at nine locations, seizing electronic equipment and small amounts of drugs.

The smuggling network, predominantly composed of Croatian organizers, utilized encrypted messaging applications to coordinate their activities and evade law enforcement detection. Migrants, many of whom traveled legally to Sarajevo from Istanbul, were subsequently guided across the Bosnian-Croatian border on foot. Once in Croatia, the network arranged temporary accommodation and onward travel to Western Europe.

Europol’s Operational Task Force, established in March 2023, aims to combat migrant smuggling along the Western Balkans route. The recent operation highlights the collaborative efforts of multiple European nations to address this ongoing issue and disrupt the criminal networks facilitating illegal migration.