In a major operation targeting a suspected people smuggling syndicate, National Crime Agency (NCA) officers apprehended a suspect in Folkestone this morning as part of a coordinated strike across Kent and the East Midlands.
The 27-year-old man was detained in the coastal town on suspicion of money laundering, while a 29-year-old accomplice was simultaneously arrested in Nottingham. The dual arrests were the culmination of a series of targeted raids involving car washes and a barber shop in the Nottingham area, alongside a residential search in Derby. Investigators believe the criminal network is responsible for illegally transporting migrants into the UK via small boats and subsequently exploiting them for labour within the “grey economy.”
While the Folkestone arrest highlights the critical role of the Kent coast in dismantling these networks, the wider investigation reveals a sophisticated operation designed to funnel illegal workers into businesses across the East Midlands. During the raids, Immigration Enforcement issued a civil penalty notice to a Nottingham-based car wash for the employment of an illegal worker.
NCA Deputy Director of Investigations, Craig Turner, said:
“Tackling the organised criminals behind people smuggling remains a key priority for the NCA, and this is one of around 100 investigations that we currently have running into individuals or networks suspected of involvement.
“These gangs exploit people for profit – whether it is through risking their safety by transporting them across the Channel in small boats, or by putting them to work in the grey economy once they’re here – and we’re determined to do all we can to stop them.
“I’m extremely grateful to our law enforcement partners for their support in today’s operation, our investigation will continue.”