“Following the launch of an investigation, Asayish forces, based on exchange of intel and upon the request of Interpol and as per a ruling by the judge, a great human trafficker and smuggler was arrested,” said Asayish, only disclosing the suspect’s initials and his nickname, Scorpion.
Barzan Kamal Majeed, mostly known by the Western media as Scorpion, has been accused by some European countries of smuggling people to these countries.
The arrest comes three days after the BBC featured him in an article. The BBC team said they interviewed him face-to-face in a mall in Sulaimani.
Each year, tens of thousands of predominantly young individuals depart Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, seeking improved prospects in Europe. In pursuit of a better life, they navigate perilous smuggling routes, risk their lives in harsh and freezing travel conditions, and undertake treacherous sea crossings to reach mainland Europe or the United Kingdom.
Germany has deported 222 Iraqi citizens so far in 2024 as part of an alleged agreement reached between Berlin and Baghdad to deport migrants who have no chance to remain in Germany, sources told Rudaw on Friday.
