Janice R. Andrews
In a major operation, five men aged 43 to 54 were arrested in London on 20 November by National Crime Agency (NCA) officers. The suspects, of Algerian and Egyptian origin, are accused of orchestrating the smuggling of over 200 North African migrants, including children, from the UK to France in 2023.
One of the suspects, a 52-year-old Algerian national, is believed to be a senior figure within the organised crime network.
The men appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 21 November, charged with conspiracy to facilitate illegal entry into France. This latest action brings the total arrests in this investigation to 20, with five individuals already convicted and jailed for their roles in transporting migrants.
NCA branch commander Chris Hill called the arrests a “key moment” in the fight against organised immigration crime. He highlighted the smugglers’ disregard for human safety, saying, “Their sole motivation is profit.”
The NCA confirmed that this operation is part of over 70 ongoing investigations targeting high-level smuggling networks, underscoring the agency’s dedication to tackling illegal migration.
