European authorities have successfully apprehended one of the continent's most infamous human smugglers in the semi-autonomous Kurdish region of northern Iraq. The arrest of Barzan Majeed, known as 'the Scorpion,' was carried out by the regional government's security agency in Sulaymaniyah, following a request from Interpol and the exchange of intelligence information. Majeed has been handed over to the regional justice department for further proceedings.
The U.K.'s National Crime Agency confirmed Majeed's arrest, revealing that he had been convicted in absentia in Belgium for people smuggling crimes. The agency's investigation uncovered Majeed's attempt to smuggle 100 migrants to the U.K. using small boats and trucks, prompting an international search for his whereabouts.
