NCA Leads International Smuggling Crackdown

The National Crime Agency (NCA) has arrested five men, aged 43 to 54, in connection with a major investigation into a people-smuggling network transporting North African migrants from the UK to France. The arrests followed the discovery of over 200 migrants in lorry trailers during 2023, with the suspects charged with conspiracy to facilitate illegal entry into an EU country. Separately, the NCA participated in a German-led international crackdown targeting a Syrian-led smuggling operation, resulting in at least 20 arrests across Europe, including an Iraqi national facing extradition to Poland. This organized crime group is believed to have smuggled around 750 Syrian migrants, charging between 4,500 and 12,000 euros per person. NCA officials emphasize the risks associated with such operations, highlighting that smugglers prioritize profit over the safety of the individuals involved. These actions are part of broader efforts to dismantle large-scale immigration crime networks impacting the UK and Europe.