The 64-year-old driver of the vehicle – originally from Glasgow – was arrested by Belgian authorities and a 30-year-old man in Co Antrim, Northern Ireland, was also detained.

Highly organised Nigerian gangs are earning “extremely high profits” from trafficking children into 12 European countries, including Ireland, for prostitution, according to the EU police agency.

A Carlow man at the centre of a major internet-based prostitution ring was among 10 people arrested today as police smashed an international human trafficking gang.

Gardaí investigating the activities of a sex trafficking gang arrested a seventh person this afternoon

Eight people were arrested across Ireland and the UK today as part of an international police operation targeting human trafficking for the sex trade.