In a significant crackdown on organised immigration crime, police have intercepted 23 Bangladeshi nationals attempting to be smuggled out of the United Kingdom, resulting in five arrests. The operation, led by the National Crime Agency, unfolded earlier this week near Whitstable in Kent, highlighting ongoing threats to border security.
Surveillance and Interception
NCA surveillance teams closely monitored taxis travelling from London to a location in Kent, where the migrants were transferred onto a lorry. Officers subsequently stopped the vehicle as it approached the ferry port in Dover, preventing the suspected smuggling attempt. While one individual was arrested for immigration offences, the other 22 were found to be legally present in the UK and were released.
Arrests and Charges
Five people have been taken into custody as part of this investigation. This includes three taxi drivers, aged between 43 and 55, and a 32-year-old Romanian lorry driver, all arrested on suspicion of facilitating illegal immigration. Additionally, a 43-year-old man, believed to be the ringleader, was detained in the New Cross area of London. Approximately £30,000 in cash was seized from a property during the operation.
All five suspects have been charged with conspiring to facilitate illegal immigration and are scheduled to appear at magistrates' courts in Kent and south-east London on January 28.
Organised Crime Network
The criminal group is alleged to have been involved in multiple attempts to move predominantly Pakistani and Bangladeshi nationals out of the UK using lorries. This method is designed to circumvent border controls and French entry restrictions. NCA branch commander Saju Sasikumar stated that the operation culminated a months-long investigation, emphasising that such groups endanger the safety of those transported and threaten the security of both UK and French borders.
Broader Context of Smuggling
The NCA has issued warnings about criminal gangs actively recruiting HGV drivers to smuggle migrants both into and out of the UK. This follows a spike in arrests in Kent, where drivers have been detained while attempting to board trains or ferries to France with illegal passengers. People smugglers are known to offer drivers thousands of pounds to transport individuals across borders, often hidden within otherwise legitimate loads.
Smuggling routes out of the UK are not only used by economic migrants but also by criminals seeking to evade justice. For instance, last year, two Romanians, Marius Bajenaru, 44, and Sorin-Costinel Ivan, 46, were jailed for attempting to smuggle 49 migrants out of the country. Bajenaru was found with 17 migrants in his van and nearly £4,000 in cash, while Ivan had 32 people, mostly Bangladeshi, in his lorry, along with £9,950 in cash.
Priority for Law Enforcement
Tackling organised immigration crime remains a top priority for the NCA, with this investigation being one of around 100 ongoing probes into high-tier networks or individuals. The agency continues to work diligently to dismantle such operations, which exploit vulnerabilities in border security and pose significant risks to public safety.
