Metropolis Desk-
After being located by the BBC, a migrant smuggler known as “Scorpion,” who was wanted in many European nations, was apprehended in Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region on Monday, according to local authorities.
Kurdish security services released a statement saying, “After a thorough investigation and exchange of intelligence information… Scorpion was located and arrested on May 12.”
Barzan Majeed, also known as “Scorpion,” was taken into custody in Sulaimaniyah at the request of Interpol, a representative for the security forces told AFP.
“We’ll interrogate him and take the necessary measures,” Abdel Khaleq continued.
Majeed was tracked down to Sulaimaniyah by the BBC’s “To Catch a Scorpion” investigation published last week.
He discussed how he got into the people-smuggling business in 2016 amid a significant migrant surge into Europe in an interview with the British broadcaster.
The BBC crew shared its findings “with the authorities in the UK and Europe” after conducting their investigation.
The BBC states that “Scorpion’s gang is believed to have controlled much of the people-smuggling between Europe and the UK” between 2016 and 2021.
His gang’s twenty-six members had convictions in Belgium, France, and the United Kingdom.
In October 2022, a Belgian court found him guilty in absentia of people smuggling, and he was given a 10-year prison sentence.
Source- BBC News
