WIREDGOV

National Crime Agency officers investigating an alleged people smuggling network operating between Iraq and the UK centered on the north west of England have made two further arrests.

The pair, a woman aged 30 and from Manchester, and a man aged 21 and from Burnley were both detained on suspicion of conspiring to facilitate illegal immigration this morning. They are now being questioned.

The operation follows a series of raids in Manchester, Oldham and Stoke-on-Trent in April, which led to four arrests. All four remain on bail. Two men were arrested in the Ghent area of Belgium at the same time.

NCA officers also detained two men in Scunthorpe and Hull on 31 May. They were released under investigation.

The network, made up of members from or with links to the Kurdish community, is alleged to have smuggled thousands of migrants into Europe, largely from Iraq. Many were trying to reach the UK.

NCA branch commander David Norris said:

“People smuggling is a crime which exploits the vulnerable for profit and treats humans as a commodity.

“We believe our initial operation in April caused significant disruption to this criminal network, and our investigation into those around it continues.”