UK Arrests 49 in Crackdown on Cross-Border People Smuggling

British immigration authorities have arrested 49 people during a three-day operation targeting criminal gangs accused of smuggling migrants from the Republic of Ireland into the United Kingdom.

The arrests were made between September 22 and 24 as part of Operation Comby, a multi-agency crackdown aimed at preventing the abuse of the Common Travel Area (CTA) between Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Authorities carried out patrols and checks at ports, roads and railway networks across Northern Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales.

According to the UK Home Office, the operation has resulted in more than 250 arrests of organised criminals and immigration offenders since July 2024, with 113 people subsequently removed from the UK. Almost £500,000 in cash has also been seized.

The operation works alongside Operation Gull, which conducts routine enforcement activities at Northern Irish ports and airports. The operation recorded almost 1,000 arrests over the past year.

At Belfast International Airport, two Romanian women were arrested after travelling from Ireland to Northern Ireland without the required permission. Further checks identified them as possible victims of human trafficking.

One of the women was detained for removal to Romania, while the other voluntarily returned to Ireland.

In a separate incident, police at Belfast Port stopped a vehicle carrying four Romanian nationals. A search uncovered counterfeit Apple products valued at about £130,000. All four occupants were arrested and face removal from the UK.

The UK Minister for Border Security and Asylum, Anna Turley, said authorities were stepping up efforts against organised criminal gangs involved in people smuggling.

Meanwhile, the Home Office said organised immigration crime arrests have increased by 74%.

Between July 2024 and June 2026, Immigration Enforcement carried out nearly 3,000 enforcement visits in Northern Ireland, leading to more than 2,400 arrests. Almost 1,000 people were subsequently returned, including nearly 500 to Ireland.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has also announced plans to double the Immigration Enforcement budget by 2028/29 and increase the workforce by 60%.

The government expects the measures to lead to tens of thousands of additional raids, arrests and removals of people found not to have the right to remain in the UK.

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