A man has been arrested as part of an ongoing National Crime Agency (NCA) investigation into migrant smuggling from the UK to France in lorries.

NCA officers apprehended the Iraqi man, aged 42, at an address in Ashford this afternoon (28 August). He is also suspected of facilitating inbound facilitation of migrants to the UK.

The arrest follows activity at an industrial estate in the town, where NCA officers saw migrants near two men and a number of HGVs.

NCA Branch Commander Sara-Jayne Moore said:

"This arrest is part of our ongoing investigation into a large-scale criminal network responsible for smuggling migrants from the UK to France, and in the other direction.

"People smugglers don't have any concern about the safety or wellbeing of human beings they transport, whether it is in boats or HGVs. They're driven solely by financial gain. The same crime groups smuggling people out of the country are often engaged in bringing people in too, so operations like this allow us to target their UK activities.

"People leaving the UK in lorries may be doing so because they are wanted by law enforcement, they may be trying to dodge French immigration checks, or they may be being trafficked or exploited.

"The risks to both the people being transported and to border security remains, regardless of the direction they are travelling in.

"This is one of 96 ongoing NCA investigations into gangs or individuals operating at the top tier of organised immigration crime, which remains a priority for the NCA."

The man has been taken into custody where he will be questioned by NCA officers.

28 August 2025