An international operation targeting organised criminal networks involved in migrant smuggling across the Mediterranean Sea and West African Atlantic route has resulted in the arrest of 262 suspects and the opening of 434 investigations.

The four-day operation, conducted from October 5 to 8, 2026, also identified 109 potential victims of human trafficking and intercepted 1,715 irregular migrants across participating countries.

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The International Criminal Police Organisation, popularly known as INTERPOL, disclosed the figures in a statement published on its website on Tuesday.

According to the agency, 221 of the suspects were arrested over alleged migrant-smuggling offences, 16 were suspected of human trafficking, while the remaining 25 were apprehended for other crimes, including the production and use of fraudulent documents.

Code-named Operation Communis Maris, the exercise involved law enforcement and border management agencies from 16 countries across North and West Africa, southern Europe and the Middle East.

The operation was led by INTERPOL, with support from Europol, Frontex, AFRIPOL, the International Organisation for Migration and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.

The participating agencies sought to dismantle organised criminal networks, identify suspected smugglers, rescue vulnerable migrants and bring those responsible for the crimes to justice.

During the operation, 7,660 officers screened more than 378,000 people, monitored identified hotspots and strengthened security checks at strategic locations.

INTERPOL also said 210,594 searches were conducted through its databases to help authorities identify suspects and obtain relevant criminal intelligence.

The agency’s Director of Organised and Emerging Crime, David Caunter, said the operation was necessary to tackle criminal groups that exploit vulnerable migrants and expose them to dangerous journeys.

He described the Mediterranean Sea as one of the world’s deadliest migration corridors, where smugglers subject vulnerable people to abuse, extortion and trafficking while putting their lives at risk through overcrowded and unsafe vessels.

Caunter said INTERPOL’s cross-border coordination capabilities were crucial to helping countries identify criminals, dismantle their networks and save lives.

Providing details of some of the enforcement activities, INTERPOL said Moroccan authorities intercepted a vessel carrying 70 prospective migrants, including 30 minors, who had spent six days at sea.

In another incident, Senegalese officials alerted neighbouring countries to a wooden boat that had departed the country’s territorial waters.

Mauritanian authorities intercepted the vessel the following day.

It was carrying 80 passengers, including two children, while three suspected organisers were arrested.

In Tunisia, security operatives disrupted an attempted illegal sea crossing and arrested three nationals suspected of organising migrant smuggling.

A boat, marine engine and other equipment were also recovered.

The operation further led to the identification of 41 organised criminal groups allegedly involved in migrant smuggling.

In Libya, authorities rescued 34 potential victims of human trafficking and arrested three suspects allegedly connected to a criminal network involved in trafficking, migrant smuggling and extortion.

Algerian law enforcement officers also arrested six suspects linked to a migrant-smuggling network.

The suspects were additionally accused of endangering minors.

In Syria, coordinated maritime patrols and surveillance operations led to a raid on a facility allegedly used by migrant smugglers.

Seven suspects, including the alleged leader of the network, were arrested, while 22 irregular migrants were intercepted.

INTERPOL said the operation also extended beyond maritime routes, with authorities strengthening checks at airports and targeting the fraudulent travel documents used by criminal networks.

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Security operatives in Cyprus and Greece arrested suspects over attempts to travel with forged documents, while Moroccan authorities apprehended an individual suspected of supplying fake passports and recruiting people for irregular migration.