Roundup: EU has "strong platform" to fight migrant smuggling: Europol chief

Europol on Monday launched the European Migrant Smuggling Center (EMSC) to support European Union member states in dismantling criminal networks involved in organized migrant smuggling.

The center aims to reinforce cooperation with EU member states, international organizations, national stakeholders and European agencies. "It will provide the necessary platform through which member states can improve their exchange of information and operational coordination in the fight against organized migrant smuggling," said Rob Wainwright, director of Europol.

By launching the center, Europol has "made migrant smuggling one of its key priorities," stressed the head of the European police. The launch follows a decision by the EU justice and home affairs ministers in November 2015.

The center will focus on geographical criminal hotspots, and will build a better capability across the EU to fight people smuggling networks.

"We cannot afford to miss this opportunity to step up our fight against migrant smuggling. We want this center be the catalyst of cooperation with all relevant institutions," said Dimitris Avramopoulos, EU Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship, at the launch ceremony of the center.

In 2015, more than 1 million migrants reached the EU. This trend of exponentially increasing numbers of migrants arriving in the EU is set to continue in 2016, according to Europol research.

Europol's migrant smuggling report said more than 90 percent of the migrants traveling to the EU used facilitation services, in most cases, offered by criminal groups which exploit the desperation and vulnerability of migrants.

"In 2015 alone, criminal networks involved in migrant smuggling are estimated to have had a turnover of between 3 billion euros (3.31 billion U.S. dollars) to 6 billion euros. This turnover is set to double or triple if the scale of the current migration crisis persists in the upcoming year," added the report.

Europol also announced the deployment of mobile teams in Greece and Italy to assist with investigations on smugglers. "In Greece, Europol will deploy investigative support teams to bring unique analytical capabilities and other information services to make sure what they can deal with the challenges they face," said Wainwright.

Europol said it holds intelligence on more than 40,000 individuals suspected of being involved in migrant smuggling.

In 2015 alone, information on more than 10,000 suspects was shared with Europol, resulting in 1,551 investigations targeting networks active in the EU. The suspects reported to and identified by Europol originate from more than 100 countries.

The new EMSC will be led by Robert Crepinko, a Slovenian police officer who has been director of the nation's investigation system and joined Europol three years ago as head of the unit of organized crime networks.

Europol and Interpol are still doing research on migrant smuggling and a final report will be produced in coming weeks, Crepinko told Xinhua.

"There are a number of cross-border investigations going on in different member states. Many arrests are happening on weekly basis." he said.

The EMSC will see a team of migration and crime specialist focus in particular on two regional "hotspots": Catania in Sicily and Piraeus in Greece. A "mobile team" has already been deployed on the Greek island of Lesvos, but more will be deployed gradually to cover all hotspots.

Europol assured the agency has "no systematic evidence that terrorist groups are exploiting the migrant groups" with the exception of the two suspects in the November Paris attacks, currently the subject of investigation. Endit