Kent is at the heart of a major crackdown on organised immigration crime, following a recent spike in arrests of HGV drivers at local ports.
The National Crime Agency (NCA) has issued an urgent warning after numerous drivers were detained in Kent while attempting to board ferries or Eurotunnel trains to France. These individuals were caught illegally transporting migrants hidden inside their vehicles. The arrests confirm fears that ruthless criminal gangs are actively recruiting HGV drivers in the region to smuggle people both into and out of the UK. These gangs are specifically targeting the haulage industry, offering drivers “thousands of pounds” to use their legitimate commercial routes for illicit crossings.
The NCA reports that drivers are assisting in two main ways: either by actively helping to load people into their trucks, or by showing deliberate negligence—for example, leaving their vehicles unsecured or unlocked in specific, pre-arranged Kent locations for the criminal networks to access.
This focused enforcement in the county highlights the ongoing pressure on Kent’s major transit points and the desperate measures smugglers are taking to exploit local hauliers for profit.