In a suburban street in south Belfast lives a 40-year-old woman who anti-trafficking officers believe is part of a network of criminals profiting from the movement of desperate people.
As its residents prepare to leave for work, the street is lined with Home Office officials, assisted by the PSNI.
At first there is no answer at the door. The shutters upstairs move as an officer with a battering ram prepares to force entry.
The woman opens the door and begins a search of the property before being arrested.
On the list of items being sought are mobile phones, which will give a fuller picture of the scale of the operation.
This is an investigation that has been underway for 10 months and that involves close collaboration with the Ministry of the Interior and its counterpart in the Republic.
The tightening of immigration rules in the UK after Brexit has seen traffickers diversify and change routes, taking desperate people, mainly from poorer African nations, through southern ports before crossing the border.
Nearby, in an apartment complex on another street, residents watch with curiosity as a 26-year-old man leaves in handcuffs. He is an associate of the woman arrested earlier in the day.
Both originally from Somalia, they are naturalized British citizens, just two alleged members of a much wider network making up to £15,000 per person they help traffic into the UK.
Residents of the apartment complex gathered on the corners to watch as police dogs were brought in to search the property.
The man had been living in the block, mainly occupied by young families and professionals, and is believed to have been in Northern Ireland for several years.
About 50 officers from the Government’s Immigration Control Unit participated with the support of the police.
Both suspects were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to assist the illegal immigration of non-British nationals.
The woman is also suspected of possession of criminal property.
The pair were taken into custody at Musgrave PSNI station for questioning.
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Police and the Home Office carry out a series of searches in south Belfast on August 3, 2022 (Photo by Kevin Scott for the Belfast Telegraph)
Police and the Home Office carry out a series of searches in south Belfast on August 3, 2022 (Photo by Kevin Scott for the Belfast Telegraph)
Anyone found guilty of aiding illegal immigration can face up to life in prison.
Led by the Home Office’s Criminal and Financial Investigations (CFI) team, it is the latest joint action by the British and Irish governments as part of the joint cross-border agency task force.
Johnathan Evans, a CFI inspector, said the operation was a “success”.
He added that they had helped disrupt a network that operated “here in Northern Ireland, nationally and internationally”. Two other suspected members of the gang were arrested during an earlier operation.
“We have seized assets through proceeds of crime legislation and protected vulnerable people, and we will continue to work around the clock with our international partners to disrupt these human trafficking networks,” he said.
“Organised crime gangs are diversifying and using various means and sophisticated smuggling techniques to bring people into the UK.
“It can be anywhere from £2,500 to £15,000 and that goes to these networks that exploit these people for profit.
“The task force was set up to disrupt organized crime groups, tackle organized immigration crime, modern slavery and people-trafficking.
“We work collaboratively with a number of different partners and have seen a number of techniques being used.”
The Immigration Commission’s Assistant Director (Criminal and Financial Investigations), Ben Thomas, said: “The operation is just one of the ways we are working with our law enforcement partners to crack down on those trying to bring people in illegally. legally in the country concealed in vehicles.
“We are committed to dismantling human trafficking networks and hope these arrests send a clear message to those involved in this type of criminality that we will stop at nothing to bring you to justice.”
3,683 migrants were reported to have made the crossing from France to the UK on 90 boats in July, the highest monthly total this year.
In the Republic, since January 8,000 people have applied for refugee status after entering Ireland through different routes.
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