The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
Three held after trafficking raids
Five locations in Peterborough targeted as part of international police operation across UK, France
Three men are being questioned on suspicion of people smuggling following dawn raids on homes in Peterborough as part of an international operation.
Under the cover of darkness, teams of officers sped in convoys through the city streets before swooping on addresses while most people were still sound asleep.
Authorities now believe they have disrupted a major people- trafficking network after dozens of raids were carried out across the UK and in France and Belgium yesterday in an operation by the UK Border Agency ( UKBA).
The sting targeted gangs who are believed to have brought “thousands” of immigrants into the country in the back of lorries, charging up to £ 6,000 per person.
Teams of officers swooped on five city homes just before 6am. They arrested a 21- yearold Iraqi man from an address in Clarence Road, a 25- yearold Iraqi man at a home in St Mark’s Street and a 20- year-old man from St Mary’s Court.
More than 150 UKBA officers spent six months working on the operation and raids were also carried out in London, Hampshire, Birmingham, Coventry, Smethwick, Leamington Spa, and Stokeon- Trent.
They were targeting gangs who have been operating through Teteghem in northern France since 2011, who bring illegal immigrants into the UK in the back of lorries through the Channel ports.
It is understood that many of the immigrants are from Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan and pay the gangs between £ 2,000 and £ 6,000 to be smuggled into Britain.
So far, officers have made 20 UK arrests in relation to their investigation and another six in relating on to other suspected offences including immigration breaches.
In addition computers,
“It’s only right that such offences are dealt with in a tough and robust manner.” Stewart Jackson Peterborough MP
documents, cash and mobile phones were seized from a number of addresses and will now be examined.
Chris Foster from UKBA said: “We believe this to be one of the biggest operations of its kind ever undertaken in the UK, involving officers the length and breadth of the country.
“My officers have been working closely with their counterparts in France and Belgium as well as other law enforcement agencies in the UK in the build- up to the operation.
“We believe we have successfully disrupted a significant organised network suspected of being involved in a systematic attempt to evade the UK’s immigration controls.
“Our investigation will continue with the evidence we have seized.”
Mr Foster said that the gangs could be responsible for bringing thousands of people into the country illegally.
He said: “The exact numbers are not known, it could be hundreds if not thousands.
“Last year the UK Border Force detained 9,000 immigrants trying to get into the country, so that gives some idea of the scale.
“People may be shocked to read about such things, but I can assure them that we are becoming more sophisticated in how we deal with these crimes.”
Mr Foster added that the problems associated with people trafficking are farreaching.
“Although these people are coming into the UK illegally we see them as victims,” he added.
“They are often paying money far beyond their means to what is a risky business.
“They are sometimes transported in freezing lorries and end up living in squalor.
“When people are entering the country illegally we do not who they are or what risks they might pose to the public.
“There is also the added effect that their presence may have on the local economy.”
News of the operation in Peterborough has been wel---