Barzan Majeed, who previously lived in Nottingham, was convicted of people smuggling crimes in absentia in Belgium following a joint UK-Belgian investigation.
One of Europe’s most notorious people smugglers has been arrested in the semi-autonomous Kurdish region of Iraq, British security officials said.
Barzan Majeed, known as “the Scorpion”, was detained on Monday in the Sulaymaniyah area by Kurdish regional security forces after a request from Interpol.
Majeed, who previously lived in Nottingham, was wanted by the National Crime Agency after he was convicted of human trafficking crimes in absentia in Belgium in 2022 following a joint UK-Belgian investigation.
The agency said he had attempted to smuggle 100 migrants to the UK in small boats and trucks.
The number of migrants crossing the Channel in small boats has soared in recent years.
Source: https://news.sky.com/story/one-of-europes-most-notorious-human-traffickers-arrested-in-iraq-13135532