A man suspected of being part of a North East people-smuggling operation had been arrested during a pre-dawn raid.

Home Office officials executed a warrant at a property in North Shields following an investigation into a suspected people-smuggling operation.

The man, 40, is the fourth member of the suspected organised crime group operating on Tyneside.

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He was detained on suspicion of conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration by the Home Office’s Criminal and Financial Investigation Unit.

Three other individuals were stopped and questioned at the UK-France border by border force officials attempting to bring Albanian nationals through immigration controls.

The suspect has been placed into custody at Northumbria Police Headquarters in Wallsend.

Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick told The Northern Echo: “This morning’s arrest is further evidence of our steadfast determination to dismantle the criminal gangs profiting from smuggling people into our country.

“The Home Secretary and I would like to pay tribute to our dedicated teams who work relentlessly to disrupt these networks and bring them to justice.

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“People smugglers and those thinking about abusing our immigration laws should be in no doubt that we will stop at nothing to ensure they face the full force of the law.”

Stuart Stokes, Assistant Director from the Criminal and Financial Investigation unit, added: “Operations like this are made possible by the dedication and commitment of our officers, who work tirelessly to find and arrest those seeking to abuse our immigration system. 

“We will continue to work hard to protect our borders and keep the British public safe.”

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