By Matt Strudwick
A total of 31 individuals have been apprehended in a recent Home Office operation targeting people smuggling gangs. Immigration enforcement teams and law enforcement officers seized £400,000 in criminal cash and 10 fake ID documents in Belfast, Scotland, Liverpool, and Luton over a three-day period.
The crackdown involved checks at major ports, airports, and road networks to disrupt smuggling routes. This comes as over 700 migrants crossed the Channel in small boats, bringing the total number of crossings this year to 24,335.
Dame Angela Eagle, the minister for Border security and asylum, emphasized the government’s commitment to combating criminal gangs exploiting vulnerable individuals. Home Office immigration enforcement inspector Jonathan Evans hailed the operation as a success, sending a strong message to smuggling gangs.
In related news, Prime Minister Keir Starmer has pledged to dismantle criminal gangs facilitating illegal crossings. Despite recent tragedies and challenges, efforts are being made to enhance border security and prevent dangerous small boat crossings.