Four people have been arrested as part of a National Crime Agency investigation into a suspected people smuggling network operating out of London.
The three men and a woman were detained by NCA officers today (25 June) in a series of early morning raids.
An Albanian man, aged 31, was detained by NCA officers at an address in Edmonton, while another Albanian man, aged 29, was arrested at an address in Enfield.
A further Albanian male, aged 30, was held at a location near Gatwick Airport, and Moldovan woman, aged 33, was arrested at a location in Leyton later in the morning.
All four are suspected of being part of an organised crime group responsible for advertising crossings from France to the UK on social media.
NCA investigators also suspect them of collecting illegal migrants who had been transported into the UK by HGV from locations in Kent, before driving them back to London.
The four will now be questioned on suspicion of facilitating illegal immigration to the UK.
Their arrests follow the conviction of a lorry driver earlier this year, prosecuted after Border Force officers found an illegal migrant hiding in a lorry stopped at Dover in February.
Following today’s arrests, a second multi-agency operation saw checks carried out on a number of businesses across east London believed to be frequented by members of the network.
These were co-ordinated through the Government Agency Intelligence Network (GAIN), and involved staff from the NCA, Metropolitan Police Service, Home Office Immigration Enforcement, HMRC, London Fire Brigade and local authorities.
Five cafes in Walthamstow, Chingford and Dagenham were visited. Separately, two people were arrested for immigration offences during a linked operation in Edmonton, while another individual was arrested by police for failing to appear at court.
NCA Branch Commander Adam Berry said:
“Tackling organised immigration crime remains a priority for the NCA, and the arrests carried out by my officers today are the result of an investigation into a gang we suspect of advertising and orchestrating HGV crossings from France.
“These types of illegal crossings, whether by boat or in HGVs, risk the lives of those being transported and threaten the UK’s border security, which is why targeting the organisers behind them is so important for us.
“Working with law enforcement and government partners we are determined to do all we can to target, disrupt and dismantle the criminal networks involved in people smuggling.
“These arrests and further operations with partners to visit premises across east London show that in action.”
Border Security Minister, Dame Angela Eagle, said:
“We are turbocharging efforts to combat organised immigration crime and illegal working. This successful operation is another example of how we are clamping down on vile gangs who exploit vulnerable people to make money.
“Boosting border security is a vital part of our Plan for Change and we are focussed on taking down these criminal networks at every stage through increased enforcement activity, tougher legislation and strengthened international partnerships.
“I’d like to thank law enforcement for their efforts in this case and we will continue to use every possible tool to ensure dangerous criminals face the full force of the law.”
A Government Agency Intelligence Network (GAIN) spokesperson, added:
“By working in partnership, sharing intelligence lawfully and efficiently, the Network aims to ensure that government agencies along with law enforcement will help reduce the risk, threat and harm from serious and organised crime.
“This operation has involved months of collaborative hard work by the GAIN network of partners, NCA and police who are dedicated to disrupting and dismantling criminal enterprises. Today’s executive action is an excellent example of adopting a multi-agency approach.”
The NCA currently has around 80 ongoing investigations into networks in the top tier of organised immigration crime. These investigations involve the highest harm, highest threat groups or individuals.
We also use the full suite of powers at our disposal to disrupt OCGs, pursuing other methods when a criminal justice route is not possible, and we are seeking to disrupt organised immigration crime business models, through targeting their social media offering, their supply routes for equipment, and their financial flows.
We continue to work with social media companies to target the crime groups using their platforms to promote illegal immigration services. We have increased the pace of takedowns, with more than 8,000 accounts being removed in 2024, a 40% increase on the previous year.
25 June 2025
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