In a significant breakthrough, the National Crime Agency (NCA) has apprehended two men and a woman as part of an ongoing investigation into a crime syndicate involved in smuggling individuals into the UK via small boats. The operation aims to disrupt and dismantle the networks responsible for facilitating illegal immigration.

One of the detainees, a 53-year-old man hailing from Old Oscott in Birmingham, is suspected of acting as an ‘agent’ for individuals seeking to transport people unlawfully from the continent to the UK. Allegedly, he maintained contact with people smuggling gangs on the continent, organising boat passages and facilitating payments.

The man was apprehended at a location in Sutton Coldfield, accompanied by his 42-year-old female partner. Simultaneously, a 39-year-old man was separately detained at an address in Hounslow, west London. Presently, all three suspects are in custody and will be interrogated by NCA investigators on charges of conspiring to facilitate illegal immigration.

During the operation, authorities seized a significant quantity of cash and several mobile phones, which will undergo thorough examination to gather further evidence against the suspects.

Highlighting the gravity of people smuggling, NCA Branch Commander Mick Pope emphasised that these criminals not only jeopardise UK border security, but also pose a significant threat to the individuals they transport. Consequently, tackling organised immigration crime remains a top priority for the NCA.

This particular investigation is just one of over 90 currently underway, as the NCA intensifies its efforts to combat the menace of organised immigration crime. With these recent arrests, the agency’s commitment to disrupting such networks remains unwavering.