Three charged with people smuggling

Three suspected members of a gang accused of trafficking Albanians into the UK have been charged with people-smuggling offences.

The National Crime Agency and the Belgian Federal Police of West Flanders made a series of coordinated arrests on Wednesday. Scott Downie, 31, and Anthony Corkovic, 28, both from Salford, and Jetlind Gjyriqi, 31, from London, are all charged with smuggling people from Europe to the UK. They will appear at Manchester magistrates’ court on Sept 1.

Two other men arrested in the UK were released under investigation

Officers in Belgium arrested three Albanian men and recovered six others from a lorry heading to the UK. The three men are still being questioned.