Belgium arrests ‘migrant traffickers’ with speedboats

BRUSSELS: Belgian authorities have arrested six suspected traffickers equipped with inflatable boats to take migrants to Britain, prosecutors said on Tuesday.

The accused—two Iraqis, two Iranians, a Pakistani and an Afghan—were picked up in the resort of Ostend last week after attempting to flee police investigating a suspicious gathering.

Three land vehicles, two boats, two outboard motors, a fuel container and tools were also seized, a Bruges prosecutor said.

Frank Demeester said the six were being held on suspicion on human trafficking and that they were presumed to have been trying to reach the British coast.