GETTY The majority were of Syrian origin, while others were Algerian, Egyptian, Lebanese and Tunisian.

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The criminal gang has been disbanded after officers swooped in several different countries, with authorities also seizing a large amount of assets, cash and other goods. International police forces, led by Italy, worked together to arrest 16 people on suspicion of people smuggling, in a crackdown across Austria, Germany and Italy. The majority were of Syrian origin, while others were Algerian, Egyptian, Lebanese and Tunisian. Some were residents near exclusive Lake Como in Italy, where a squalid migrant camp has sprung up near George Clooney's mansion. The traffickers mostly targeted Syrians, promising to bring them safely across the continent's borders for a staggering £500.

The investigation estimates since 2014 the gang has helped transport around 200 migrants into western Europe. By following the previously popular Balkan route, evidence showed the migrants reached Hungary where the gang then took them into Germany and Austria and, more rarely, Italy and France. Gang members are said to have hired drivers, and vehicles, from Italy.

GETTY The investigation estimates since 2014 the gang has helped transport around 200 migrants

The investigation started last September, when an Italian citizen was arrested in Hungary with several illegal immigrants in the back of his vehicle. More were discovered with migrants stashed in their vehicles in Austria and Germany.

Migrants go to extreme lengths to cross borders Fri, October 7, 2016 Desperate migrants fleeing Syria and surrounding places have been trying to sneak across borders in incredible ways. These include hiding in suitcases and sleeping next to car bonnets Play slideshow 1 of 40

Subsequent inquiries identified key hotspots along the route, and several migrant transports were intercepted. The drivers were arrested, and it was revealed some were the registered owners of 80 or 90 vehicles used to spirit migrants across borders.

GETTY 16 people were arrested with a large amount of cash, assets and other goods seized

The Balkans route has fallen out of favour among migrants after the controversial Turkey-EU deal struck in March, which has led to a one-in-one-out system in Greece. But there has been no slowing of the boat crossings from Libya to Italy, with around 100,000 migrants arriving via this route.

Figures from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reveal that there were roughly 67,000 migrants arriving on Greece’s shore in January, which dramatically dropped to 3,437 in August. But in Italy the numbers have remained constant.

GETTY The traffickers charged £500 to smuggle the migrants into western Europe

Some 115,000 migrants landed in Italy last month, compared to 116,000 last August. William Spindler, spokesperson for the office of UNHCR, said: “The chances of dying on the Libya to Italy route are ten times higher than when crossing from Turkey to Greece.”