The News London 365
  • Breaking News
  • Lifestyle
  • Coronavirus
  • Food
  • Politics
  • Sport
Monday, June 27, 2022
London
+10°C
Privacy Policy
Copyright
Contact us
No Result
View All Result
  • Breaking News
  • Lifestyle
  • Coronavirus
  • Food
  • Politics
  • Sport
No Result
View All Result
The News London 365
No Result
View All Result
Home Breaking News

Officers swoop in on alleged leaders of gang that smuggled hundreds of migrants into the UK | UK News

The News London 365 by The News London 365
July 21, 2021
in Breaking News
0
A man was arrested in Croydon as part of an NCA investigation into an alleged people-smuggling gang. Pic: NCA

Investigators have arrested the alleged leaders of an Albanian gang thought to have smuggled hundreds of illegal immigrants into the UK.

The main target, in jeans and a T-shirt, was detained as he sat enjoying a beer with three friends outside a smart tapas restaurant near Croydon town centre in south London.

Two National Crime Agency officers swooped and pinned the 40-year-old man against his chair before handcuffing him and putting him in a police van.

Image:
A man was arrested in Purley as part of an investigation into a people smuggling ring. Pic: NCA

The restaurant was ordered to shut – and the shadowy figures of a search team could later be glimpsed through the blinds looking for cash and other evidence of money laundering.

A second suspect, 36, had the front door smashed open at his cream-painted, semi-detached house set back from the main Brighton Road in nearby Purley.

His gravel drive was suddenly filled with NCA and Metropolitan Police vehicles, including a forensics van.

Soon after their arrival a woman turned up with a small child in a pushchair. There was a look of thunder on her face.

“I live here,” she told officers. “What’s going on?”

It’s not clear how much they told her, but they ushered her and the child inside the house before the suspect was taken away in handcuffs.

A 26-year-old woman was later arrested at the same address.

Curious locals gathered at the gate, one giving a running commentary over video for what sounded like a neighbourhood website.

Four other men, aged between 26 and 44, were arrested in more raids in south London, Surrey and Oxfordshire.

The suspects are thought to have hired vans and lorries to smuggle hundreds of illegal immigrants – mainly Albanians – from France through the Channel Tunnel into the UK.

They allegedly ran a bespoke service, charging migrants up to £25,000 each, with links in France, Germany, the Netherlands and Poland.

Last year, border guards in France intercepted six vehicles, arrested drivers, removed dozens of migrants and began identifying the ringleaders.

NCA branch commander Richard Harrison said: “We believe the arrests will have significantly disrupted an organised criminal network responsible for smuggling potentially hundreds of people into the UK illegally.

“The network claimed to provide a top-of-the-range service and charged accordingly, using complicit drivers to transport migrants in hired vehicles.

“This activity represented a significant threat to both the safety of the migrants involved and the security of UK border controls.”

Image:
Between July and December 2020 six people smuggling attempts were stopped by Border Force officers. Pic: NCA

The NCA said it had identified bank accounts, some holding hundreds of thousands of pounds, which are thought to be controlled by the gang.

The agency’s deputy director, Andrea Wilson, said: “This operation shows that people smugglers are right at the top of the NCA’s target list.

“It is a form of criminality that sees people exploited for profit by criminals who have no regard for human life.

“Those involved in organised immigration crime should know that our officers are working day and night with partners in the UK and abroad to find them, disrupt and dismantle their business models and bring them to justice.

“I also have a message today for drivers, commercial or otherwise, who would consider assisting these organised criminal networks by transporting migrants on their behalf.

“Do not do it. The penalties for those who are caught are severe and life changing. It is simply not worth the risk.”

Seven suspects are being questioned on suspicion of offences including people smuggling and money laundering.

Previous Post

Soccer-Arsenal cancel pre-season U.S. tour due to COVID-19 cases By Reuters

Next Post

COVID-19: 100,000 will die of coronavirus globally between now and end of the Olympics, WHO chief predicts | World News

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

RECENT NEWS

Road closed after lorry crashes into bridge

Road closed after lorry crashes into bridge

June 27, 2022
Schauffele wins Travelers Championship after late Theegala blunder

Schauffele wins Travelers Championship after late Theegala blunder

June 27, 2022
British GP: Hamilton’s renewed hope but can anyone stop Verstappen?

British GP: Hamilton’s renewed hope but can anyone stop Verstappen?

June 27, 2022
Jumping and flat action on competitive Monday cards

Jumping and flat action on competitive Monday cards

June 27, 2022
Beth England: My Lionesses journey | ‘Sarina has taken England to new levels’

Beth England: My Lionesses journey | ‘Sarina has taken England to new levels’

June 27, 2022
US Vice President Tests Positive for COVID-19

US Vice President Tests Positive for COVID-19

June 27, 2022

Categories

Breaking News Coronavirus Daily Devotionals Food Health and Science Lifestyle Politics Sport What's On

Recent News

Road closed after lorry crashes into bridge

Road closed after lorry crashes into bridge

June 27, 2022
The News London 365

  • Privacy Policy
  • Copyright
  • Contact us
No Result
View All Result
  • Breaking News
  • Lifestyle
  • Coronavirus
  • Food
  • Politics
  • Sport

© 2022 JNews - Premium WordPress news & magazine theme by Jegtheme.

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Do not sell my personal information.
Cookie SettingsAccept
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT