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Investigators from the National Crime Agency (NCA) have made a series of arrests as part of two separate probes targeting suspected people smugglers.
NCA officers made four arrests in Gravesend as part of an investigation targeting a criminal network suspected of smuggling people into the UK in vans or lorries.
They arrrested four men, two Albanian nationals and two Romanian nationals, near the A2 Cobham Services, at around 8am this morning after witnessing what is believed to have been a handover of people from a lorry into two cars.
Four Albanian people were also detained and have now been handed to the immigration authorities.
All those arrested are now being questioned on suspicion of facilitating illegal immigration.
Earlier today, officers also arrested a man in East Sussex on suspicion of supplying small boats to aid people smugglers in France.
A 30-year-old was arrested in Hastings, at around 9am.
Shortly afterwards a property on Battle Road was searched. The operation was supported by officers from Sussex Police.
This NCA investigation relates to the sale and distribution of vessels sourced in the UK, and subsequently taken to France to be used in cross-Channel facilitation attempts.
Officers suspect the individual concerned of being linked to a number of vessels which have been used in crossings by people seeking asylum.
One such vessel was recovered from St Margaret’s Bay in Dover, on Wednesday September 2, a day in which around 400 people reached the UK using small boats.
The investigation is being supported by Project Invigor, the immigration crime taskforce led by the NCA, but also including Immigration Enforcement, Border Force and the CPS, and also French law enforcement.
NCA regional head of investigations Andrea Wilson said: "The organised crime groups involved in people smuggling are cynical in their exploitation of migrants, and are happy to put them in incredibly dangerous and life-threatening situations, either in boats or in the back of lorries.
“We believe this activity today will significantly disrupt at least two such networks.
“Working with partners we are determined to do all we can to disrupt and dismantle the criminals behind these crossings, and our investigation into this particular criminal enterprise continues.”
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