By In a cavernous underground courtroom in France, a pivotal trial is unfolding that could reshape the fight against migrant smuggling across the English Channel. The case, involving 33 alleged members of a Kurdish smuggling gang, has been dubbed the trial of the “merchants of death” by prosecutors, highlighting the dangerous nature of the small boat crossings that have become a contentious issue between France and the UK.
At the center of the trial is Mirkhan Rasoul, a 26-year-old already serving an eight-year sentence for attempted murder. Rasoul, accused of continuing to control the smuggling operation from prison, faces an additional 15-year sentence, a €200,000 fine, and a permanent ban from French territory if convicted.
The scale of the trial is unprecedented, with prosecutor Julie Carros describing it as a “tentacle-like case” that has generated 67 tonnes of paperwork. The gang is accused of controlling the majority of Channel crossings between 2020 and 2022, with a network spanning multiple European countries.
The prosecution’s case highlights the gang’s “phenomenal” profit margin, with each boat launched potentially earning up to €60,000 and an estimated annual income of €3.5 million. Boats were dangerously overloaded, sometimes carrying up to 15 times their designed capacity, underscoring the life-threatening risks faced by migrants.
This trial is the result of the largest international operation of its kind against small-boat smugglers, with arrests made in France, the UK, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany. It involves 17 men and one woman currently on trial, 12 already found guilty, and three more to be tried next year.
Pascal Marconville, lead prosecutor at the regional Court of Appeal for northern France, explained that the tough sentences sought aim to make smuggling operations “so expensive that they lose their appeal.” He also noted the evolution of smuggling gangs from informal groups to networks organized similarly to drug gangs.
However, defense lawyer Kamal Abbas expressed skepticism about the trial’s potential impact on the small boat crisis. Abbas pointed out instances where released suspects were quickly rearrested on fresh smuggling charges, suggesting that imprisonment is seen as “just another bump on the road” by those involved.
The trial also illuminates the challenges of international cooperation in combating smuggling networks. While collaboration with British officials was praised, difficulties working with German authorities were noted.
Source: bbc
