French court finds 18 guilty of migrant smuggling
A boat thought to carry migrants is escorted by a vessel from the French Gendarmerie Nationale in the English Channel off Wimereux beach, France, September 4, 2024
A FRENCH court in Lille today found 18 defendants guilty in a migrant smuggling trial linked to the dangerous English Channel crossings.
The group was charged after a 2022 police operation across Europe led to several arrests and the seizure of boats, life jackets and cash.
One of the ringleaders, from Iraq, was sentenced to 15 years in prison and fined €200,000 (£167,000). Most of the defendants were not in court for the sentencing.
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