Raids smash £40m people-smuggling gang that trafficked 1,000 Vietnamese migrants into Britain

This is the moment cops raided the home of a woman linked to a £40million trafficking ring that smuggled 1,000 Vietnamese migrants into Britain.

National Crime Agency (NCA) officers brought three individuals into custody during raids across the UK on Monday morning.

During the joint UK – European operation, a 25-year-old woman was cuffed at an address in Wrexham, Wales, while a 25-year-old man was arrested in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne.

Another man, who is now due to be deported to France, was grabbed in Birmingham after French officials issued a warrant for his arrest.

NCA officers have since confirmed that the raids related to an ongoing people smuggling operation.

Five other men were arrested and charged in England earlier this year, all five are alleged to be key figures in a Vietnamese organised crime group.

The gang smuggled 1,000 migrants into the UK in small boats and on the back of lorries, cops say.

Across 200 trips from France to Britain the group managed to turn over some £1.6 million in profit – charging migrants as much as £40,000 per trip.

NCA officers say many of the migrants had been unable to pay the smugglers for the full cost of the trip.

Many of the migrants arrived in Britain with significant debts which made them vulnerable to sexual and labour exploitation to repay the smugglers.

The trio arrested in the UK on Monday are believed to have been holding the genuine passports of the smuggled migrants as “debt bondage”, officials said.

Of the three arrested in Monday’s raids, the woman is suspected of assisting the smuggling gang with laundering money.

The 25-year-old man is suspected of organising facilitation through lower members of the crime group.

While the 26-year-old man is suspected of overseeing accommodation for migrants destined for the UK.

The 26-year-old has been remanded into custody while the process to extradite him to France gets underway.

He was due to appear at Westminster Magistrates Court on Monday.

The organised crime group targeted in the operation is suspected of facilitating travel for migrants from Vietnam to central and Eastern Europe on commercial airlines.

From there, migrants are allegedly moved on to France before being sent to the UK on small boats and lorries.

While the NCA carried out raids in the UK, French cops took 16 suspects into custody as they stormed buildings across Paris.

The raids in France saw more than 40 irregular migrants discovered, 11 of who were found housed at one address.

Authorities in France also seized one apartment, nine cars, cash, identity and travel documents, and electronic devices.

Two bank accounts were also frozen by the French authorities.

Minister for Border Security and Asylum, Alex Norris, said: “This government is bearing down on those who attempt to abuse our borders.

“These arrests demonstrate the strength of our cooperation with France in confronting the criminal networks behind the unacceptable Channel crossings which threaten our border security.

“We are strengthening law enforcement powers so officers can intercept, detain and arrest people smugglers faster to restore order and control to our borders.”

Alex Cruise, NCA Senior Investigating Officer, said: “These arrests are a great example of partnership working with our colleagues in France to tackle the groups behind dangerous crossings to the UK.

“Such journeys put those being moved at great risk and undermine border security.

“Tackling people smuggling remains a top priority for the NCA, and this is one of approximately 100 ongoing investigations targeting groups or individuals both directly involved in organising journeys, or those who facilitate that criminality.

“Our investigation continues with the evidence we have gathered today.”