The international police operation was launched after the Istria County Police Department gathered information about the people smuggling chain. The Croatian Office for Preventing Organised Crime and Corruption (USKOK) also took part in the operation. The investigation showed that the smugglers had transferred 156 illegal migrants across the border since last June, charging them between EUR1,000 and EUR1,500 for their services. The group of 17 smugglers arrested in Croatia is suspected of having earned at least EUR61,000, while the entire network is suspected of making EUR190,000 on people smuggling.
The arrested people are scheduled to appear today before an investigating judge at the Rijeka County Court.