23 arrested in UK human smuggling probes

LONDON: British police announced on Tuesday that they had arrested 23 people as part of a series of investigations into suspected people smuggling.

The arrests were made between September 11 and 21, and included 11 individuals suspected of facilitating illegal crossings of the Channel, between France and England, in small boats. Among those being held are British, Iraqi and Iranian nationals, according to the interior ministry. "The organised crime groups behind the illegal attempts to cross the border, either by land or sea, are putting the lives of vulnerable people in serious danger for their own financial gain," said Steve Dann, director of the ministry´s criminal and financial investigations.

More than 80 people who entered Britain illegally on small boats have been returned to Europe. Border Force cutters are now patrolling the Channel, and equipment including CCTV and night goggles have been deployed on the French coast, according to police.