Croatian police break migrant smuggling gang, arrest 7

ZAGREB, Croatia — Croatian constabulary person breached a pack that smuggled much than 100 migrants from Bosnia into Croatia and connected toward Western Europe, and charged 9 suspected members, officials said Thursday.

The suspects are 8 Croatian nationals and a Serb, constabulary said successful a statement. Seven person been arrested and 2 stay astatine large.

The suspects allegedly conspired to alteration amerciable introduction for the migrants from Bosnia into Croatia and connected toward different European Union nations, constabulary said.

Thousands of migrants stay stuck successful the Balkans portion trying to scope affluent EU countries. Migrants participate Croatia from Bosnia and Serbia earlier moving further west, and rights groups person repeatedly accused Croatian constabulary of mistreating radical caught astatine the borderline and illegally sending them back.

The Croatian constabulary connection said officers, who cooperated with Bosnian police, confiscated astir 80,000 euros ($93,000) successful currency during the hunt of assorted locations and cars linked to the suspects successful the investigation.