Four people were arrested in the UK on July 12, suspected of being part of a "crime group linked to the prolific smuggling of migrants to the UK by lorry," stated a press release from Britain's National Crime Agency (NCA).

The investigators believe that the group helped arrange for lorries to be broken in to and people loaded on to them without the drivers' knowledge. The group had reportedly attached tracking devices to vehicles, in order to locate them before placing migrants in the containers in the rear.

Those arrested are also "suspected of obtaining a boat as part of their plans to bring migrants to the UK over the Channel."

Tuesday’s arrests were in connection to two incidents which took place in 2019 when a total of 32 migrants had been found in the back of lorries in both the Netherlands and France. "Both drivers and another facilitator were later jailed in those countries," stated the NCA.

'Senior member of the conspiracy'

Among Tuesday's arrests is a 39-year old man who was stopped by police in Dagenham, Essex, just east of London "on suspicion of conspiring to facilitate illegal immigration." This man is alleged to be a "senior member of the conspiracy," stated the press release.

The police coordinated several other raids across London on the same day. They detained a 37-year-old man in Ilford, east London, and two further men, said to be aged 36 and 42 at addresses in south London (Streatham) and east London (Leytonstone).

The men will reportedly be questioned, but NCA branch commander Andy Noyes said: "This operation has targeted those who we suspect are key members of a people smuggling crime group."

'Smugglers pay no regard to the lives of the people they transport'

Noyes added that smugglers "pay no regard to the lives of the people they attempt to transport, whether that be by boat or in vehicles."

Noyes said that while those who arrive in the UK by lorry, as opposed to by boat, may be "less visible to the public, it is no less dangerous to those being smuggled, and unfortunately we have seen the tragic consequences this can have."

The NCA said it had been working in conjunction with partners both in the UK and overseas, to try their best to "disrupt and dismantle the organized crime groups involved and break down their business model."

This is the second major operation against alleged people smugglers in a week. On July 5, the NCA joined European police forces in a series of raids, which ended in the arrest of about 40 people. "The operation is believed to be the biggest of its kind," stated the NCA.