Man arrested on suspicion of illegally smuggling migrants after stop on A2 near Cobham
16:45, 18 May 2020
updated: 17:01, 18 May 2020
A suspected illegal migrant smuggler is under investigation after his car was stopped on the A2.
Police and the National Crime Agency detained the man after an operation along the dual carriageway near Cobham as they travelled towards London.
A 26-year-old man from Albania was arrested and was questioned by investigators from the NCA following his arrest by Kent Police who were working with the authority when they pulled the car over.
The man was arrested on suspicion of facilitating illegal immigration following his arrest at 7.30am on Saturday.
It is believed two other men in the car with him - who are understood to also be Albanian - had entered the UK illegally in a lorry.
They were passed to immigration enforcement teams and are now being processed according to immigration rules, the NCA said.
A house in Aberdeen Road in Edmonton, north London, was also searched as part of the sting.
The man arrested, has since been released under investigation.
Neil Gardner, from the NCA-led Invigor immigration crime task force, said: “Our investigation into this apparent attempt to smuggle people into the UK illegally continues.
“Working with Kent Police, Border Force and Immigration Enforcement we are determined to tackle the criminals and organised crime groups who are prepared to risk the lives of migrants and treat them as a commodity to profit from.”
Dozens of migrants were intercepted by Border Force patrols this weekend as nine boats were stopped and taken to Dover.
