Gang of 9 involved in Illegal Migration to UK Arrested in Spain

UK Border Agency together with Spanish law enforcing authorities has apprehended nine members of a criminal gang suspected of assisting migrants to enter UK illegally mostly from Iran. The arrests were made in Spain.

The arrested persons have been charged with human trafficking, producing and providing forged documentation, credit card fraud and membership of criminal organization.

The detained persons were from Iran, Mauritania, Morocco, Mali and Colombia. Majority of the persons were Iranian national.

UK Border Agency international group assistant director responsible for Spain, Simon Cooper said, ”
The UK Border Agency continues to work in close partnership with the Spanish police authorities to tackle illegal migration and the criminal gangs behind it.”

He further added, “These arrests represent the successful outcome of a multi-agency operation led by the Spanish police and conducted in close collaboration with the UK Border Agency overseas and in the UK.”

UK Border Agency team in Madrid Spain worked in close collaboration with Spanish Central Organised Immigration Crime Brigade to track and identify the suspected people smugglers.

Cooper said, “Those who engage in the facilitation of illegal migration should know that they will be targeted and brought to justice.”

The authorities of both countries expect to work on more of such joint operations to bust people involved in illegal migration of people from Spain to UK.

Tags: Colombia, England, human trafficking, Illegal migrants, Iran, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Spain, UK Border Agency