In a significant operation aimed at dismantling an international people smuggling network, an Iraqi national was arrested and has been charged by the National Crime Agency (NCA). The 31-year-old, Ramal Briem, was apprehended in Wolverhampton and is suspected of being a part of a broader organized crime group involved in smuggling operations within the UK.

Briem was detained at a residence on Crawford Road in Wolverhampton under suspicion of facilitating illegal immigration. According to authorities, he played a role in a smuggling event in March 2024, which involved transporting six individuals to Burton-upon-Trent, Staffordshire, hidden in the back of a lorry.

The investigation also links him to a group responsible for orchestrating small boat crossings. In a related string of arrests, four other individuals believed to be part of the same smuggling ring were detained by the NCA in April. Three of them have since been charged, while the fourth is currently under extradition proceedings, wanted in France for related crimes.

Additional arrests included a 23-year-old woman in Heathfield Road, Croydon, and a 64-year-old man in Abinger Grove, London. Another individual, a 34-year-old man, was arrested in Leicester. The fourth, a 25-year-old, was detained in Croydon based on a French warrant alleging involvement in both people smuggling and drug offences.

Investigations suggest that these suspects, all Vietnamese nationals, were engaged in promoting illegal immigration to the UK via social media, targeting the Vietnamese community and charging significant sums for migration services.

In a parallel development in France, twelve individuals were arrested near Paris, suspected of connections to the same smuggling network.

Appearing at Wolverhampton Magistrates Court today, Briem was formally charged with facilitating illegal immigration. Saju Sasikumar, the NCA’s senior investigating officer, emphasized the operation’s importance, stating, “People smugglers operate for profit without concern for the safety of those they transport. This is why dismantling and disrupting these networks remains a priority for the NCA.”

This operation aligns with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s government initiative to intensify efforts against people smuggling. The government has allocated additional funding for the newly established Border Security Command, which integrates resources from the NCA, Immigration Enforcement, local police forces, and security services, aimed at reinforcing the UK’s border security.