Suspected people smuggler followed by BBC documentary detained in Birmingham

A young Iranian man has been arrested for allegedly smuggling asylum seekers to the UK in small boats.

Officers from the National Crime Agency (NCA) said they earlier detained the 22-year-old at an address in Acocks Green in Birmingham on suspicion of conspiring to facilitate illegal immigration.

Footage shows a topless man – wearing just jogging shorts – in handcuffs and being read his rights by NCA officers before being taken to custody.

NCA Regional head of investigations Jacque Beer said this follows a BBC investigation, adding: ‘This arrest is part of an ongoing investigation into organised immigration crime.

‘People smugglers operate for profit without concern for the safety of those they transport, which is why dismantling and disrupting the networks is a priority for the NCA.

‘Our investigation continues with the evidence we have gathered today.’

The NCA currently has 91 ongoing investigations into networks or people in the top tier of organised immigration crime or human trafficking as the government aims to ‘smash’ people-smuggling gangs.

The arrest comes as crossings across the English Channel passed 25,000 at the end of July – faster than any year since the records began in 2018.

The latest Home Office figures show an increase of 51% compared with the point last year (16,842) and 73% higher than that of 2023 (14,732).

Last year, the 25,000 mark was passed on September 22, and in 2023 it was October 2.

Sir Keir Starmer announced the highly-controversial ‘one in, one out’ returns deal with France, which will see the UK sending asylum seekers back to France in exchange for asylum seekers with links to Britain.

The pilot came into force this week, with the first people – who crossed the dangerous waters between the two nations on flimsy inflatables, risking their lives – falling victim to it yesterday.

The group of people who arrived in Kent are now being held in immigration removal centres to await their removal.

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