Gang smuggling migrants to UK on Easyjet and Ryanair arrested
Det Supt Chris Foster, of the UK Border Agency, said: "People smuggling is an international crime which requires international co-operation. Our investigation will continue."
Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/4667261/Swoop-on-budget-jet-migrant-smugglers.html#ixzz2DQ5rQcHF
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A gang who allegedly made £1.4 million smuggling asylum seekers into the UK on budget airlines have been arrested in a number of dawn raids this week.
According to a report in The Sun, migrants were charged up to £14,000 for fake British or EU passports they used to get through security checks in Spain and France in one of the largest rackets of its type.
It is thought around 100 Iranians were trafficked through Stansted and Manchester airports on Easyjet and Ryanair flights at a rate of 20 a month.
Once the migrants had successfully boarded a plane, they would destroy their fake paperwork before landing in the UK and claiming asylum.
A number of them vanished after Border staff were forced to release them on bail while their claims were processed.
The suspected 56-year-old ringleader was arrested in Mill Hill, London, while six others were arrested elsewhere in London and in Hull.
Over in Spain, Guardia Civil made ten arrests connected with the gang.
Det Supt Chris Foster, of the UK Border Agency, told The Sun: "People smuggling is an international crime which requires international co-operation. Our investigation will continue."
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