See the Moments Man Smuggling Migrants to UK Boasted Before Shocking Arrest (Video)

A big operation to stop criminal groups that smuggle people across the English Channel in small boats has led to the arrest of six Afghan men in the UK. These men are believed to be part of a large criminal network that operates across Europe.

The arrests took place on Wednesday in cities like Leicester, Birmingham, and Essex, after Belgian courts issued warrants for their capture. At the same time, similar operations in Belgium and Italy resulted in the arrest of 10 other people.

According to Belgian authorities, this criminal group has been organizing the movement of migrants from Afghanistan, through countries like Iran, Turkey, and the Balkans, and into Western Europe. Their main destinations are France and Belgium.

The group has been active since 2022 and used social media to communicate with migrants who were desperate to reach Europe. If migrants had their asylum claims rejected in Belgium, the gang would then arrange for them to be smuggled into the UK using small boats.

The UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) has been working with Belgian police for about two years to help with this investigation. They provided important information and evidence that led to these arrests. The six men arrested in the UK are accused of being involved in smuggling people and being part of a criminal organization. Three of them appeared in court on Wednesday, and the other three are expected to appear soon.

Craig Turner, a senior official at the NCA, said that this criminal network was dangerous and caused a lot of harm by moving migrants across the world, through Europe, and eventually into the UK. He also said that the NCA is determined to keep working to stop these kinds of criminal groups and that they are currently investigating 70 similar cases.

The UK’s Minister for Border Security, Dame Angela Eagle, praised the arrests and said that the government is committed to stopping criminal gangs that try to undermine border security. She also mentioned that the UK will continue to work closely with other countries to stop these criminal activities and save lives.

In a related case last December, three men were arrested in the UK for similar crimes. A court in Belgium sentenced 20 members of their gang to a total of 170 years in prison. Some of these men were tried in their absence, including the three arrested in the UK, who are now waiting to be sent to Belgium to serve their prison sentences.

The NCA is also working with other UK agencies, like Border Force and Immigration Enforcement, to identify and help migrants who were brought to the UK by these criminal networks. They are making sure these people are safe and protected.

This operation shows how serious the problem of organized crime is, especially when it comes to smuggling people across borders. It also highlights the importance of countries working together to stop these criminal groups and protect vulnerable people.