POLICE have raided an address in Coventry as part of an investigation into a people-smuggling ring.
At around 6am on Wednesday (July 8) officers from Immigration Enforcement’s Criminal and Financial Investigation (CFI) team executed a warrant in Coventry, as well as five others across Birmingham, Leicester and Telford.
Four people have been arrested in connection with an investigation into attempts to smuggle people into the UK hidden in the rear storage area of vans.
Between June and September 2018, Border Force officers in northern France prevented three such attempts involving a total of 18 Iraqi nationals. The Iraqis were referred to French border police for their cases to be dealt with.
Minister for Immigration Compliance and the Courts Chris Philp said: “These arrests were made as part of an ongoing investigation into a suspected organised crime group involved in people smuggling. We believe the arrests will have significantly disrupted the group’s activities.
“People smuggling is an abhorrent crime that treats migrants as human cargo to be profited from. We are determined to do all we can to dismantle the criminal networks involved in illegal immigration.”
All those encountered were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration. They included a 37 year old man and a 42 year old man in Leicester, a 50 year old man in Birmingham, and a 39 year old man in Telford.
The Immigration Enforcement investigation continues.
