A man suspected of being part of a people-smuggling network operating between the UK and France has been arrested by National Crime Agency (NCA) officers in Ashford.
The 42-year-old Iraqi national was apprehended at an address in the town on August 28 as part of an ongoing NCA investigation. He is believed to be involved in facilitating both the smuggling of migrants out of the UK and their illegal entry into the country.
The arrest follows a raid at a local industrial estate where NCA officers had observed migrants in the vicinity of two men and several heavy goods vehicles (HGVs). The suspect is now in custody and is being questioned by investigators.
NCA Branch Commander Sara-Jayne Moore said:
“This arrest is part of our ongoing investigation into a large-scale criminal network responsible for smuggling migrants from the UK to France, and in the other direction. People smugglers don’t have any concern about the safety or wellbeing of human beings they transport, whether it is in boats or HGVs. They’re driven solely by financial gain. The same crime groups smuggling people out of the country are often engaged in bringing people in too, so operations like this allow us to target their UK activities. People leaving the UK in lorries may be doing so because they are wanted by law enforcement, they may be trying to dodge French immigration checks, or they may be being trafficked or exploited. The risks to both the people being transported and to border security remains, regardless of the direction they are travelling in. This is one of 96 ongoing NCA investigations into gangs or individuals operating at the top tier of organised immigration crime, which remains a priority for the NCA.”