In a major operation targeting people-smuggling gangs and those exploiting the Common Travel Area (CTA), UK authorities have arrested 31 individuals across multiple locations in the country. The three-day operation, led by Immigration Enforcement’s Criminal and Financial Investigations team in Northern Ireland, involved collaboration with various law enforcement agencies, including the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), the National Crime Agency (NCA), and other UK police forces.

The operation, which took place in Belfast, Scotland, Liverpool, and Luton, among other locations, focused on disrupting illegal migration routes and criminal networks. Authorities conducted checks at major ports, airports, and road networks throughout the UK.

During the crackdown, law enforcement seized £400,000 in criminal cash and 10 fraudulent identity documents. These counterfeit documents play a crucial role in enabling smuggling gangs to evade immigration controls and exploit vulnerable migrants.

Minister for Border Security and Asylum, Dame Angela Eagle, emphasized the government’s commitment to combating these criminal networks. “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,” she stated.

The operation is part of a broader national effort to curb irregular migration and human trafficking at key entry points across the UK. It comes as the government intensifies its efforts to dismantle the business models of smuggling gangs and bring perpetrators to justice.

Home Office Immigration Enforcement Inspector, Jonathan Evans, hailed the operation as “a huge success” and warned that “smuggling gangs who break our laws will face serious consequences.

Authorities continue their investigations, with further actions expected as part of the ongoing crackdown on illegal immigration and organized crime networks in the UK.