A 42-year-old Iraqi man has been arrested as part of an ongoing National Crime Agency (NCA) investigation into migrant smuggling from the UK to France in lorries. The arrest took place at an address in Ashford on 28 August. He is also suspected of facilitating the inbound movement of migrants into the UK.
The arrest follows NCA activity at a local industrial estate, where officers observed migrants near two men and several heavy goods vehicles.
NCA Branch Commander Sara-Jayne Moore said:
“This arrest is part of our ongoing investigation into a large-scale criminal network responsible for smuggling migrants from the UK to France and in the opposite direction.
“People smugglers have no concern for the safety or wellbeing of those they transport, whether by boats or lorries. Their actions are driven solely by financial gain. The same organised crime groups that smuggle people out of the country are often involved in bringing people in as well. Operations like this allow us to target their activities within the UK.
“People leaving the UK in lorries may be wanted by law enforcement, trying to evade French immigration checks, or being trafficked and exploited. The risks to both the migrants and border security remain high, regardless of their direction of travel.
“This investigation is one of 96 ongoing NCA operations targeting individuals and gangs at the top tier of organised immigration crime, which continues to be a key priority for the agency.”
The man is now in custody and will be questioned by NCA officers.
