New Delhi: A three-day crackdown on people-smuggling gangs saw 31 arrests in the UK, with officers cracking down on attempts to smuggle people into the country from Belfast, Scotland, Liverpool, and Luton, the government announced in a recent press release.
Home Office Immigration Enforcement Inspector, Jonathan Evans called the operation a “huge success”. It “sends a clear message that the smuggling gangs who break our laws will face serious consequences.,” Evans added.
The arrests were carried out by Immigration Enforcement, alongside UK police forces and international partners, in a bid to disrupt smuggling routes and deter illegal migration. The crackdown also resulted in the seizure of £400,000 in criminal cash and 10 fraudulent identity documents, which are used by gangs to evade immigration controls.
The government has said that it is cracking down on the smuggling of people, including for the Common Travel Area, and sees it as a “criminal activity”. Dame Angela Eagle, Minister for Border Security and Asylum, said, “This government will not stand by as criminal gangs exploit vulnerable people, risking their lives and giving them false hopes of a better life in the UK. Driven by greed, these gangs have no regard for human life or safety, charging outrageous fees, preying on those desperate to escape hardship, and forcing them into illegal and dangerous situations.”
“We are taking the fight to them on all fronts under the leadership of our new Border Security Commander. Dismantling the business models of these gangs does not just apply to the small boats trade — we are also stamping out other routes into the UK to bring them to justice and slash their profits,” Dame added.
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