Raids target people-smuggling gangs

Feb 6 2013

Dozens of raids have been carried out across the UK and in France and Belgium in a crackdown on people-smuggling gangs.

Officers from the UK Border Agency (UKBA) raided 35 addresses in England and Scotland, targeting gangs who bring illegal immigrants into the country in the back of lorries through Channel ports.

Around another 40 raids were carried out at the same time in France and Belgium as part of the same operation.

The stowaways pay from £2,000 to £6,000 per person to be smuggled into Britain.

Raids were carried out in London, Hampshire, Peterborough, Birmingham, Coventry, Smethwick, Leamington Spa, and Stoke-on-Trent.

Warrants were also executed in Manchester, Sheffield, Lancashire and Glasgow.

More than 150 officers from the UKBA took part in the operation.

It is understood many of the immigrants who pay the gangs are from Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan.

So far, officers have made 20 arrests in relation to their investigation and another six in relation to other suspected offences including immigration breaches.