A 29-year-old man has been swooped on in Birmingham in a major crackdown on people smuggling adverts plastered across social media.
Joint NCA and Police Operation Hits Handsworth
The Indian national was arrested at a property on Holyhead Road, Handsworth early Monday, 22 December. Police suspect he worked for a ruthless organised crime gang moving migrants illegally inside lorries.
Officers charged him with facilitating illegal immigration. He’s now in custody, grilled by National Crime Agency (NCA) and West Midlands Police investigators.
Electronics Seized, Further Arrest Follows
Laptops and phones were seized for forensic analysis as cops hunt the wider network behind the smuggling scheme.
During the raid, a second man was also detained for being in the UK illegally. He’s now been handed over to immigration officials.
NCA Vows To Crack Down Hard
NCA Branch Commander Kevin Broadhead said: “Tackling organised immigration crime remains a priority for the NCA, and we are determined to do all we can to target, disrupt and dismantle the networks involved. Our investigation, which is being conducted alongside partners from West Midlands Police, continues following this arrest.”
This move sends a clear warning to criminal gangs profiting from dangerous smuggling operations that law enforcement will not back down.
