The French judicial authorities have placed a Syrian citizen in pretrial detention on suspicion of running and managing an organized international network to transport Syrian migrants from their country to French territory through transit stations in South American countries.

The arrest and referral was made by Frédéric Nahon, the prosecutor in the eastern French city of Epinal, stressing that the operation represents a major breach of the transcontinental smuggling system.

Unconventional smuggling itinerary

The extensive security investigation was launched based on accurate intelligence received by the Anti-Migrant Smuggling Cell in the city of Metz in October last year.

The investigations focused on tracing a complex and unconventional route taken by migrants, starting from Syria and passing through Turkish territory, then Venezuela to Brazil, before entering the French province of Guiana by land, where most migrants apply for asylum in its capital, Cayenne, to later continue their air route to France and settle in its eastern regions.

Business Interface & Service Packages

Field investigations proved that the arrested defendant resides permanently in the city of Epinal, and runs a coverage company under the trade name "Sultana Tours", where this company offered Syrians wishing to emigrate an integrated package of services that cost between $800 and $1,000 per person in exchange for securing their arrival.

During their search, investigators found promotional materials and digital evidence in the form of videos of the company's activity and route explanations, which were widely circulated on WhatsApp.

Brazil's Migrant Numbers and Remittances

Investigative sources estimated the number of migrants who benefited from the network's services between 2021 and 2025 at between 400 and 600 Syrian migrants.

The financial authorities monitored the movement of suspicious remittances and cash flows sent to third parties, specifically to Brazil, through a series of financial intermediaries, prompting the Epinal Prosecution to issue an urgent request for international legal assistance and criminal prosecution to the competent Brazilian authorities to apprehend and trace the parties to the network there.

Arrested in September

The suspect was arrested by security officers last Monday and placed under intensive investigation and interrogation, before the Public Prosecution issued a decision to officially refer him to the judiciary on Thursday to be placed in pretrial detention.

The detainee is scheduled to appear in court on September 3 to face a package of basic and criminal charges, including assisting foreigners to enter, move and reside irregularly within French territory as part of an organized gang.