Arrests over small boat 'people smuggling ring'

Six men have been arrested in the UK over their suspected involvement in a major people smuggling ring.

They were apprehended on Wednesday following a joint investigation by the National Crime Agency (NCA) and Belgian police.

The men - all Afghan nationals - were wanted in Belgium but were arrested by NCA officers at addresses in Leicester, Birmingham, Coventry and Essex after warrants were issued by the Belgian courts.

According to the NCA, prosecutors say the men were allegedly involved in organising the transport of migrants from Afghanistan through Iran, Turkey and the Balkans into Western Europe and in moving migrants to the UK on small boats.

The six men were apprehended on Wednesday as part of coordinated action in Belgium and Italy

The organised crime group had been running since 2022 and allegedly used social media platforms to communicate with migrants, the NCA said.

The agency said migrants who had their asylum claims rejected in Belgium would be moved to the UK on small boats by the gang, who are suspected of transporting "significant numbers" in this way.

Three of the men appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Wednesday, with the other three due to appear at the same court on Thursday, all accused of people smuggling offences and for being members of a criminal organisation.

The NCA shared footage of one of the arrests being made in Leicester

The NCA said officers had supported the Belgian investigation for about two years and had also worked with colleagues from Border Force and Immigration Enforcement to identify migrants and victims of the network who had been transported to the UK, conducting safeguarding checks.

Deputy director Craig Turner said the men were allegedly part of "a dangerous and harmful" criminal network.

He said: "The action we've taken shows that our work to disrupt and dismantle the gangs behind this criminality will not stop, and we will work with our international partners to help bring alleged perpetrators before the courts.

"The threat posed by organised immigration crime is chronic and enduring, and we currently have 70 live investigations into the gangs involved in it."

Dame Angela Eagle, minister for border security and asylum, said the arrests demonstrated the commitment of teams working to tackle organised criminal gangs.

She added the government "will not hesitate to go after those who seek to undermine our border security".