Human trafficking

Germany, Turkey Arrest 35 in Raids Against Traffickers

German and Turkish police said Wednesday they broke up a sophisticated smuggling ring that had been trafficking primarily Syrian refugees across the Mediterranean in freight ships into Europe.

In a series of early-morning raids coordinated across both countries, authorities arrested 35 suspects — five in Germany and 30 in Turkey, officials from both countries said at a news conference in Germany.

"Today, together with our Turkish friends, we dealt an important blow to smugglers without scruples," said Dieter Romann, head of Germany's federal Bundespolizei.

The joint investigation was begun at the end of 2014 after the ring was linked to the smuggling of 1,766 people who were put aboard three ships that were set to autopilot, and then sent toward the Italian coast. The refugees, who arrived safely, usually paid between $4,500 to $6,000 per person, German police said.