More than 30 arrests in three-day campaign against human trafficking gangs

Arrests were made across the UK, including in Liverpool

Arrests were made following a three-day Home Office campaign against people smuggling gangs and those exploiting the Common Travel Area (CTA). 31 people were arrested in multiple locations across the UK, including Liverpool.

As the Government steps up its crackdown on criminal gangs abusing our borders on all fronts, Immigration Enforcement teams, alongside UK Police and international partners, have been in locations across the UK including Liverpool, Belfast, Scotland and Luton as part of a three-day operation.

Checks were carried out at major ports, airports and road networks across the country, targeting illegal migration and disrupting smuggling routes. Criminal gangs, operating both within the UK and internationally, often take advantage of vulnerable migrants by tricking them into paying thousands of pounds to enter the UK illegally, luring them in with false promises of a better life.

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During the operation, £400,000 in criminal money and 10 fraudulent identity documents were seized. These documents, which are crucial tools used by people smuggling gangs, allow them to bypass immigration controls. Counterfeit documents, created by criminal networks, allow migrants to bypass border controls, trapping vulnerable people into further illegal activities.

The multi-agency operation was led by Immigration Enforcement’s Criminal and Financial Investigations team in Northern Ireland, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), the National Crime Agency (NCA), other UK police forces and international partners. Border Security and Asylum Minister Dame Angela Eagle said: “This Government will not stand by and watch as criminal gangs exploit vulnerable people, risk their lives and give them false hope of a better life in the UK. Driven by greed, these gangs have no regard for life or safety, charge exorbitant fees, prey on people desperate to escape hardship and force them into illegal and dangerous situations.

“We are taking on them on all fronts, led by our new Border Security Commander. Dismantling these gangs’ business models doesn’t just involve the small boat trade – we are also clamping down on other routes into the UK to bring them to justice and cut their profits.”

Jonathan Evans, Inspector of Immigration at the Home Office, said: “This operation is a huge success and sends a clear message that smuggling gangs who break our laws will face serious consequences.

“We are taking action every day to ensure we stay one step ahead of these criminal groups and disrupt them as early as possible. We continue to work tirelessly to ensure no one abuses the Common Travel Area or the UK borders.

“I am incredibly proud of our teams across the country, as well as our partners in the police, the National Crime Agency and international colleagues, for their hard work and collaboration in delivering this important operation.”