Police arrest two men – one from Kuwait and another from Iraq - on suspicion of being 'significant figures in Channel migrant people trafficking ring'

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Police have arrested two men suspected of being 'significant' figures in a Channel people trafficking ring.

Officers from the Metropolitan Police held the men in a pre-dawn raid in the London area on Wednesday at the request of Belgian authorities.

The pair, aged 29 and 42, were arrested on suspicion of assisting unlawful immigration.

One was a Kuwaiti national and another was Iraqi.

Migrants are brought ashore by an RNLI crew at Dungeness Beach in Kent, pictured on October 12

The organised crime gang, in which they are accused of being key figures, is involved in people smuggling between Belgium and the UK via France.

Moves to have the men extradited to Belgium were launched immediately, a Home Office spokesman said.

The operation also involved a team from the Home Office's Immigration Enforcement agency, and was overseen by the European policing organisation Europol.

Sources said the two arrested men were thought to be 'significant players' in the organised crime gang.

A third, linked suspect was arrested in France.

Immigration minister Robert Jenrick said: 'This operation shows our determination to dismantle the people-smuggling gangs that are orchestrating illegal immigration to the UK.

'Close intelligence cooperation with our European partners is vital to prevent illegal crossings and ensure those profiting from these dangerous journeys face the consequences of their despicable actions.'

The Home Office's assistant director of Immigration Enforcement, Stephen Blackwell, said: 'We are committed to disrupting the activity of people smugglers and will continue to work hard with our law enforcement partners across Europe to bring them to justice.'

The two UK raids took place in Harlesden, north west London, and St Alban's.

At the same time, the National Crime Agency (NCA) said investigators are trying to help Belgian police track down the head of an organised crime gang that tried to smuggle more than 100 migrants into the UK in boats across the Channel and in lorries.

Iraqi national Barzan Kamal Majeed, nicknamed 'Scorpion' after his WhatsApp avatar, was sentenced in his absence to 10 years in prison for people smuggling offences at a Bruges court last month.

The 36-year-old, formerly of Nottingham, was also fined 968,000 euros (£853,804), the NCA said.

A warrant has been issued for his arrest and police on both sides of the Channel are appealing for information on his whereabouts.

Majeed moved to the UK in 2013 and lived in the Hucknall area of Nottingham, where he is understood to still have connections. He was deported from the UK in 2015 to the Kurdistan region of northern Iraq.

Meanwhile, the Home Office said 230 foreign criminals and 117 immigration offenders were removed from the UK in October.

So far this year, almost 40,000 migrants have arrived in the UK after making their way across the Channel. The provisional total for 2022 stands at 39,913. No crossings have been made in November as bad weather continues.

This comes as the Prime Minister Rishi Sunak vowed to 'grip this challenge of illegal migration' by working with European nations when he attended Cop27.

The Prime Minister and French President met on Monday afternoon at the Cop-27 climate summit in Egypt

Although Mr Sunak appeared buoyed by his talks with the French President, he warned there was 'not one simple solution' to the Channel migrant crisis 

The Prime Minister and French president Emmanuel Macron embraced at the UN climate change conference in Egypt on Monday as the two countries look to agree a deal with one another to crack down on small boat crossings.

During their first face-to-face encounter since Mr Sunak entered Number 10, the prime minister said he had left the meeting with 'renewed confidence and optimism'.

However, Mr Sunak did warn that there was 'not one simple solution' to the Channel migrant crisis.

Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride hailed a 'fundamental shift' in the tone of relations between Britain and France as officials thrashed out the final details of the deal.

Mr Stride told Sky News: 'The mood music seems to be good at the moment.

'My understanding is we're in the final stages of what could be an agreement, which would be very good news.

'I think there has been a fundamental shift in the tone between ourselves and the French.'

The full extent of the crisis has become apparent in recent weeks by the overcrowding chaos at the Manston asylum processing centre in Kent.

Immigration minister Robert Jenrick told the House of Commons the Manston site was now back below capacity after more than 2,000 people were moved to other accommodation

There has recently been overcrowding at the Manston site, which has prompted severe criticism of Home Secretary Suella Braverman

Overcrowding reached breaking point at the Manston immigration processing centre last week with more than 4,000 people being held in a facility designed to accommodate 1,600.

As of 8am on Wednesday, the total number of people being held at the Manston immigration processing facility was down to 1,147, the government announced.

Migrants who have crossed the Channel in small boats arrive at the Dover centre before being taken to Manston for processing. 

Asylum seekers are supposed to stay at Manston for only short periods of time, ideally a maximum of 24 hours, while undergoing security and identity checks, before being moved to the Home Office's asylum accommodation such as hotels.

In this case, however, some people were held for longer periods due to a lack of alternative accommodation, with concerns raised over poor conditions, and the Home Office's handling of the migrant crisis.

Manston opened in January this year to relieve pressure on a Home Office facility in nearby Dover, but has endured widespread condemnation in recent weeks. 

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