A man was arrested in Essex, UK, as part of an international operation targeting a people smuggling ring moving migrants.
All the men are from Afghanistan. They got caught on Wednesday. This was a big international effort with Belgium and Italy.
The police arrested one man in Braintree. They found others in Leicester and other cities. These arrests followed warrants from Belgium. Prosecutors say these men smuggled migrants.
They moved people from Afghanistan into Western Europe. The route went through Iran, Turkey, and the Balkans. This group has worked since 2022.
They used social media to talk to migrants. It helped them plan the journeys. The group moved people to the UK by boat.
They moved migrants whose asylum bids failed. Police think they moved lots of people. A director at NCA spoke about it.
He said they were part of a criminal ring. They moved migrants all over. The NCA wants to stop them. He said they will work with other countries.
This helps get these criminals to court. Organized immigration crime causes much harm. The NCA has many ongoing investigations. They currently investigate seventy groups.
These groups are involved in this type of crime. Three of the men went to court yesterday. Abdul Safi, 22, was one of them. He was arrested in Braintree by the police.
A government minister also commented. She said the arrests show commitment. The teams work to tackle crime. It helps get people prosecuted. The government will target those who undermine borders.
She mentioned working with global partners more closely. This aims to stop criminal activity.