On one occasion, Home Secretary Priti Patel had a chance to see the Police in action against notorious human smugglers. They have been operating for a while and earning a profit by taking illegals into the UK, bypassing immigration laws, reported Daily Mail.
Priti Patel joins Police who arrest human traffickers in one of the raids
According to the National Crime Agency (NCA), in a raid in Woodford Green and Bushwood in east London, the authorities were able to arrest several individuals who were helping enable this illicit trade. Two men, aged 52 and 28, were charged as human smugglers by the agency members, noted Evening Standard.
Patel remarked that these traffickers are profiting over the trade and treating lives cheaply as a commodity, with instances of deaths happening along the way.
In March, she revealed intentions to crack down on people smuggling, with maximum life imprisonment for those engaged and measures to deny asylum to migrants who came to the UK via a safe nation like France. These measures would hopefully lessen human trafficking significantly.
Five more people, all licensed minicab drivers, were detained for reportedly carrying migrants from and to lorry drop-off and pick-up places.
After migrants were found concealed in the backs of trucks, five lorry drivers have already been convicted in conjunction with the investigation.
The NCA moves against human smugglers
The operation, codenamed Operation Symbolry, prompted an investigation into an organized criminal gang that used a system of primarily Romanian transporters to carry individuals between France and the United Kingdom.
A total of 100 migrants and more were intercepted while the operation was in effect. Several unexpected arrests included three wanted criminals with outstanding warrants, who were desperate to leave the UK, said the NCA.
"Operation Symbolry is a major investigation into a large criminal network involved in people smuggling, transporting migrants illegally in both sides from across border between the UK and France," said NCA branch operations manager Chris Hill, as per MSN.
He added, "We believe that today's arrests, combined with the actions we've already taken, will bring an end to that criminal network's operation."
Organized crime groups frequently rely on facilitators to carry out their operations, such as collaborating with lorry drivers and minicab drivers, who are compensated for helping them.
"What I would advise those drivers is that if they are approached, they should expose it to us, either by calling 101 or anonymously contacting the organization Crimestoppers," said Hill, adding, "The sanctions for drivers caught smuggling migrants are severe, and I would recommend anyone contemplating it to think about the impact on their life and livelihoods."
NCA deputy director of investigations Chris Farrimond stated to Yahoo News, "People smugglers are merciless, treating migrants as commodity, and they are indifferent about their passengers' safety. Tragically, we have seen this in recent and past mass fatalities."
After joining the raids, Priti Patel saw the reality of human trafficking.
Related article: Four Men Caught in Human Trafficking of Vietnamese in the UK, Charged for Manslaughter
