Dawn raids tackle human-smuggling

The Chinese nationals paid up to £21,000 to be brought into the UK

Thirteen people have been arrested during dawn raids by police targeting two people-smuggling rings.

The raids in London and at an address in Worcestershire on Thursday morning targeted the illegal immigration of mainly Chinese nationals into the UK.

One of the gangs involved Turkish nationals also suspected of heroin smuggling and money laundering.

The other gang consisted of Chinese nationals and police said it was associated with the Turkish group.

International arrests

The operation, codenamed Greensea, was co-ordinated by the Metropolitan Police's Special Intelligence Section and began in 2006.

Both networks were believed to have associates in Belgium and France, who have been arrested in Brussels, Ghent, Paris and Dunkirk.

The raids in England took place in the London areas of Tottenham, Peckham, Leytonstone, Palmers Green, Enfield, Holloway and at a property in Kidderminster.

At the address in Peckham, south-east London, 23 Chinese nationals were found.

Anyone found to be in the UK illegally should know that we will take steps to deport them Border and Immigration Agency's Tony Smith

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: "In both the networks, those being smuggled into the UK were mainly Chinese nationals who are believed to have paid up to £21,000 each to be brought to the UK.

"They usually travel in extremely cramped conditions in lorries, boats and trains from China across Asia and Europe to the UK in a journey that could take up to 18 months."

Once the illegal immigrants had been smuggled into the UK they would often disappear into "established communities" and avoid detection by the authorities, police said.

Det Supt Steve Richardson said: "We are committed to taking out these networks and this operation is the latest in our collaboration with a growing number of law enforcement agencies in Europe and the UK to work robustly to achieve this mission."

The Border and Immigration Agency's Regional Director Tony Smith said: "Anyone found to be in the UK illegally should know that we will take steps to deport them."

Two of the men arrested in Peckham on suspicion of possession of a fake passport have been released on police bail.