Man arrested for allegedly aiding small boat crossings
The individual, aged 38, who claims to be of Iraqi nationality, has been apprehended on suspicion of aiding illegal immigration from Turkey by promoting people smuggling services on social media.
On Sunday, the National Crime Agency (NCA) announced the arrest of a man suspected of facilitating small boat crossings.
The 38-year-old man, who asserts his Iraqi heritage, was taken into custody in England early on Sunday at a residence in the Stefano Road area of Preston. Along with the arrest, NCA officers seized phones and documents from the location, according to the agency.
The arrest is linked to the NCA’s investigation into two small boat crossings from France to the UK in November and December 2023.
The man is believed to be involved in illegal immigration from Turkey to the UK, utilizing social media to advertise people smuggling services, as stated by the NCA.
NCA Senior Investigating Officer Al Mullen emphasized that this arrest “marks a significant point in an international investigation into organized immigration crime.”
“Tackling this threat is a priority for the NCA, we have seen only in recent weeks how dangerous these crossings are,” Mullen added.
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“We are determined to do all we can, working with partners in the UK, Europe and beyond, to target, disrupt, and dismantle the criminals organizing them,” Mullen said.
The majority of illegal immigrants found in the UK in recent years have arrived on fragile boats crossing the English Channel from France.
According to figures from the Home Office, since 2018, approximately 122,855 individuals have successfully completed the journey, but tragically, many others have lost their lives in the Channel.
Following the passage of the bill, 2,268 illegal immigrants have entered the UK on 44 boats, as per provisional data from the Home Office. During the past week, 711 people made the journey successfully, marking the highest number this year. On Saturday, 255 individuals arrived following a two-day pause in the crossing.
The Home Office has begun disclosing the number of individuals prevented from leaving France or reaching the UK. Between April 29 and May 4, 759 crossings were prevented, while 1,366 people managed to reach the UK during the same period.
While the number of deportees technically has no limit, Labour has argued that only a small number can practically be removed, diminishing the deterrent effect. Additionally, some Tories have previously contended that deportations may face legal challenges.
On Sunday, Yolande Makolo, a spokesperson for Rwanda, refuted claims that Kigali is prepared to accept only an initial group of 200 individuals, though she did not specify the exact number that Rwanda is willing to accommodate annually.
During an interview on the BBC’s “Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg” program, Ms. Makolo was questioned about Rwanda’s capacity to process tens of thousands of migrants under the agreement.
“We will be able to welcome the migrants that the UK sends over the lifetime of this partnership,” she stated. “What I cannot tell you is how many thousands we are taking in the first year or the second year. This will depend on very many factors that are being worked out right now.”
Earlier, she dispelled the idea that Rwanda was limited to receiving only 200 individuals initially, stating: “Journalists have been visiting the initial accommodation that we have secured since the beginning of the partnership. This is Hope Hostel.”
“That particular facility is able to take up to 200 people,” she continued. “However, we have already started initial discussions with other facilities around Kigali and further afield, and these will be firmed up and signed once we know how many migrants are coming and when they are coming.”
“So it has never been the case that we can only take 200 initially, that has been a misconception,” Makolo emphasized.
PA Media contributed to this report.
