Canarian Weekly
30-11-2012, 11:30
THE British Embassy in Madrid and the UK Border Agency have this week revealed details of an important mission to smash a people-smuggling gang.
Nineteen suspected members were arrested in a joint operation between UKBA officers and the Guardia Civil.
They were picked up inBritainandSpainas part of a major international investigation into a suspected organised crime gang.
Operation “MARLO” involved raids on addresses inAlicante,MadridandLondonon Monday, and a further arrest inHullon Tuesday.
They were the culmination of a joint investigation into an alleged criminal network, suspected of assisting Iranian migrants to reach theUKfrom mainlandEurope.
The investigation also involved the Border Agency’s Immigration Liaison Office, based at the British Embassy inMadrid, and the assistance of airlines.
The network is alleged to have organised travel and provided false documents to its “clients” to facilitate their arrival atUKairports.
Computers, documents and mobile phones were also seized from a number of addresses and are being examined.
Co-ordinated action by the Guardia Civil saw 11 people arrested during raids inMadridandAlicante, and the eight people nabbed inLondonwere aged between 23 and 56.
The gang are said to have been contacted by up to 100 potential customers per month, and they charged them up to 18,000 euros each.
Of those enquiries, some 25 a month are believed to have become clients, with 20 heading for theUKmonthly
Chris Foster, from the UKBA’s Criminal and Financial Investigation team, said: “This investigation is targeting an organised network suspected of being involved in a systematic attempt to evade theUK’s immigration controls.
“People-smuggling is an international crime, which requires international co-operation, so we have been working very closely with our Spanish law-enforcement colleagues from the outset.”
He added: “Our investigation will continue with the evidence we have seized.”
Simon Cooper, UKBA Assistant Regional Director coveringSpain, added: “Spainis becoming a hard place for organised immigration crime to operate, and criminals now know that they will be disrupted and brought to justice.”
All those detained in theUKwere arrested on suspicion of conspiring to facilitate an asylum seeker for gain. They are being questioned at police stations inLondon.
Anyone with information about immigration crime should pass it on via Crimestoppers at http://www.crimestoppers-uk.org/ – or call 0800 555111. Anonymity is assured
More... (http://www.canarianweekly.com/alleged-people-smugglers-held-joint-spanish-uk-operation/)
Nineteen suspected members were arrested in a joint operation between UKBA officers and the Guardia Civil.
They were picked up inBritainandSpainas part of a major international investigation into a suspected organised crime gang.
Operation “MARLO” involved raids on addresses inAlicante,MadridandLondonon Monday, and a further arrest inHullon Tuesday.
They were the culmination of a joint investigation into an alleged criminal network, suspected of assisting Iranian migrants to reach theUKfrom mainlandEurope.
The investigation also involved the Border Agency’s Immigration Liaison Office, based at the British Embassy inMadrid, and the assistance of airlines.
The network is alleged to have organised travel and provided false documents to its “clients” to facilitate their arrival atUKairports.
Computers, documents and mobile phones were also seized from a number of addresses and are being examined.
Co-ordinated action by the Guardia Civil saw 11 people arrested during raids inMadridandAlicante, and the eight people nabbed inLondonwere aged between 23 and 56.
The gang are said to have been contacted by up to 100 potential customers per month, and they charged them up to 18,000 euros each.
Of those enquiries, some 25 a month are believed to have become clients, with 20 heading for theUKmonthly
Chris Foster, from the UKBA’s Criminal and Financial Investigation team, said: “This investigation is targeting an organised network suspected of being involved in a systematic attempt to evade theUK’s immigration controls.
“People-smuggling is an international crime, which requires international co-operation, so we have been working very closely with our Spanish law-enforcement colleagues from the outset.”
He added: “Our investigation will continue with the evidence we have seized.”
Simon Cooper, UKBA Assistant Regional Director coveringSpain, added: “Spainis becoming a hard place for organised immigration crime to operate, and criminals now know that they will be disrupted and brought to justice.”
All those detained in theUKwere arrested on suspicion of conspiring to facilitate an asylum seeker for gain. They are being questioned at police stations inLondon.
Anyone with information about immigration crime should pass it on via Crimestoppers at http://www.crimestoppers-uk.org/ – or call 0800 555111. Anonymity is assured
More... (http://www.canarianweekly.com/alleged-people-smugglers-held-joint-spanish-uk-operation/)