Six people wanted in Belgium over their suspected involvement in a people-smuggling ring have been arrested in the UK.
The men – all Afghan nationals – were arrested on Wednesday as part of co-ordinated action in Belgium and Italy in which 10 people were arrested, the National Crime Agency (NCA) said.
NCA officers arrested the men at addresses in Leicester, Birmingham, Essex and south London, after warrants were issued for their arrest by the Belgian courts.
Belgian prosecutors say the men arrested were allegedly involved in organising the transport of migrants from Afghanistan through Iran, Turkey and the Balkans (via the Serbian/Hungarian border) into western Europe, mainly France and Belgium, the NCA said.
The organised crime group had been running since 2022 and allegedly used social media platforms to communicate with migrants, the NCA added.
Those migrants who had their asylum claims rejected in Belgium would then be moved on to the UK using small boats, according to the NCA.
The six arrested are accused by the Belgian authorities of people-smuggling offences and being members of a criminal organisation.
The threat posed by organised immigration crime is chronic and enduring, and we currently have 70 live investigations into the gangs involved in it
Three appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, where extradition proceedings began, with the other three due to appear at the same court on Thursday.
NCA deputy director Craig Turner said: “The threat posed by organised immigration crime is chronic and enduring, and we currently have 70 live investigations into the gangs involved in it.”
Minister for Border Security and Asylum Dame Angela Eagle said: “These arrests demonstrate the enduring commitment of teams working at home and abroad to tackling organised criminal gangs and ensuring that those accused of involvement face prosecution.
“This government is clear that we will not hesitate to go after those who seek to undermine our border security and we will continue to work even closer with international partners to put a stop to their criminal activity – saving lives while delivering on the Plan for Change.”
