Iraqi gang held in Spain for smuggling Afghans, Syrians and Albanians... to UK
MEMBERS of an Iraqi gang suspected of helping migrants from five different countries into Britain have been arrested in Spain.
Europol, the EU’s law enforcement agency, said it had broken up a gang responsible for people smuggling.
It is thought the seven suspects offered illegal migrants, mainly Albanian citizens, passage from Spain to the UK.
They are also believed to have helped people from Afghanistan,
‘ Sneaked through restricted areas’
Iraq, Pakistan and Syria into the country.
Authorities said the gang used regular ferries from the northern Spanish ports of Santander and Santurtzi to carry out their criminal activities.
They were able to sneak migrants through restricted areas at the ports and hide them in trailers, containers, caravans and lorries waiting to board the ferries.
The gang also helped transport migrants to the Spanish towns of Cantabria and Biscay from other countries and temporarily housed them there. The investigation began when Spanish authorities detected a growing number of Albanian citizens trying to access Santurtzi port – and launched a ‘ day of action’ on March 19, arresting seven people including Iraqi, Albanian and Spanish nationals.
The Spanish Civil Guard raided three houses – two of which were being used as safe houses.
They seized IT and mobile devices, bank cards and ID documents and passports from different countries. The investigation continues. The Daily Mail has previously revealed the shocking scale of Albanian illegal immigration to the UK.
Many young migrants have proudly shared ‘ stowaway selfies’ while hiding in the back of lorries bound for Britain.
The National Crime Agency has warned that Albanian crime groups have established a ‘ highprofile influence’ within UK organised crime.
They are behind much of the supply of cocaine around the country and are also involved in trafficking and prostitution. Albanians make up the third largest foreign group jailed in England and Wales, behind Irish and Polish criminals – at a cost of around £ 53million to the taxpayer.
Figures released by the Ministry of Justice this month revealed there were 726 offenders from the Balkan state behind bars in Britain last year – almost triple the 267 seen in 2013.
In February, nine Albanians were rescued from a dinghy adrift in the Channel, some 20 miles south of Eastbourne, East Sussex, as they tried to reach Britain.
Between January and August last year 1,251 migrants were caught trying to sneak into Britain by ferry from Spain – up from 436 in the whole of 2016.
More than 11,000 migrants arrived in Spain in the first half of 2017, compared with over 13,000 in the whole of 2016, the International Organisation for Migration said.