Suspected members of an Organised Crime Group linked to a Bolivian people-smuggling operation were arrested in south London this morning (6 December)
Suspected members of an Organised Crime Group (OCG) linked to a highly sophisticated people-smuggling operation between Bolivia and the UK, have been arrested this morning (Tuesday 6 December) following a series of warrants executed in South London.
Following an investigation by Home Office officials from the Criminal and Financial Investigations (CFI) team, three individuals, two men and one woman, were arrested at two addresses on suspicion of conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration.
The arrests included:
Two further individuals, a man and a woman, were located in the Peckham property and identified as illegal migrants from Bolivia. They will be processed and dealt with by Immigration Compliance and Enforcement accordingly.
Around £1,500 in cash and two false identity documents were also discovered at the same address. Money seized will be processed using proceeds of crime legislation, while searches of both properties continue.
Robert Jenrick, Immigration Minister said:
Tony Hilton, Assistant Director from the Criminal Financial Investigation unit said:
The individuals are believed to have been abusing the Common Travel Area between Dublin and Belfast, charging migrants thousands of pounds to be flown from Bolivia to the UK via the Republic of Ireland.
Once smuggled into the country by the OCG, most of the migrants are believed to have been working here illegally.
All suspects were taken into custody in South London, and will be flown today to Belfast, Northern Ireland, for questioning by CFI Northern Ireland.
A further individual associated with the investigation was arrested in September 2022 by Immigration Enforcement officers in Northern Ireland and subsequently charged. He remains in custody.
This investigation involves ongoing collaboration between the British and Irish governments, who work closely through the Cross-Border Joint Agency Taskforce to disrupt OCGs and tackle organised immigration crime, modern slavery and human trafficking.
Today’s raid forms part of Immigration Enforcement’s ongoing work to prevent illegal migration through their investigation work. As of November, 189 people have been convicted for immigration crimes resulting in a total of nearly 179 years in sentencing.
So far this year, there have been 52 convictions relating to people smuggling cases, resulting in a combined total of over 82 years in prosecutions. This includes 21 small-boats-related convictions for a total of over 11 years and 31 convictions for facilitating migrants in vehicles for a total of over 72 years.