UK authorities Warn Truck Drivers of Recruitment by People Smuggling Gangs
London, UK – The National Crime Agency (NCA) has issued a stark warning to truck drivers, alerting them to active recruitment efforts by organized criminal networks involved in people smuggling to and from the United Kingdom. Recent arrests in Kent have highlighted the increasing trend of drivers being targeted to facilitate the illegal transportation of migrants.
The NCA reports that smugglers are offering drivers substantial sums of money – potentially thousands of pounds – to transport individuals across the border, often concealed within legitimate cargo. Involvement ranges from actively assisting in loading migrants onto vehicles to deliberately leaving trucks unsecured to allow for clandestine boarding.
“It truly seems like easy money, but the consequences are enormous,” cautioned Craig Turner, Deputy Director of the NCA. He emphasized the important risks faced by drivers who accept these offers,stating,”The chances of getting caught are high,and those caught face a prison sentence that could completely change their lives.”
While acknowledging the law-abiding nature of the vast majority of transport professionals, the NCA is urging drivers to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to law enforcement or through crimestoppers.
recent enforcement actions demonstrate the seriousness of the issue. Between July and October of this year, nine lorry drivers were arrested in Kent on suspicion of people smuggling. In August, Romanian driver Iona Monescu, 49, received a three-year prison sentence after 44 migrants from Bangladesh and Pakistan were discovered hidden in his trailer at the Port of Dover.
Further back, in July, seven members of a smuggling network received prison sentences ranging from 7 to 13 years for orchestrating crossings from the UK to France, with five truck drivers also convicted for their participation. In June 2023, Md Moktar Hossain, a London-based human smuggler, was sentenced to over ten years in prison, alongside convictions for seven additional truck drivers involved in the same operation. Another case involving the alleged smuggling of Afghan migrants into the UK by truck is scheduled for trial in January.
The NCA notes that criminal networks often utilize the same drivers and logistical methods for both inbound and outbound smuggling operations, treating it as a standard business practice to maximize profits.
Currently, the NCA has approximately 100 active investigations targeting individuals and groups operating at the higher levels of organized migration crime. A collaborative campaign with Border Force and Crimestoppers is underway to raise awareness among drivers about the risks and encourage reporting of suspicious activity.
Drivers can report information anonymously to Crimestoppers at 0800 555 111 or online at https://crimestoppers-uk.org. In emergency situations, individuals should dial 112 (or 999 within the UK).
