DesertFox
10-11-2005, 05:17 PM
Kate Holton
The Washington Post
Tuesday, 11 Oct 05
LONDON (Reuters) - British police arrested seven people suspected of leading one of Europe's largest human smuggling rackets in a series of dawn raids on Tuesday.
Eleven others were held for related offences.
The arrests followed a two-year investigation into the ring which smuggled illegal immigrants, predominantly from Turkey, into London from mainland Europe. Police forces from five other countries were also involved.
Detective Chief Superintendent Bill Skelly told Reuters the scale of the problem was huge.
"Worldwide it's estimated that this is a business worth 8 billion pounds and for the UK it's estimated that it's as significant as the trafficking of class A drugs," he said.
More (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/11/AR2005101100223_pf.html)
The Washington Post
Tuesday, 11 Oct 05
LONDON (Reuters) - British police arrested seven people suspected of leading one of Europe's largest human smuggling rackets in a series of dawn raids on Tuesday.
Eleven others were held for related offences.
The arrests followed a two-year investigation into the ring which smuggled illegal immigrants, predominantly from Turkey, into London from mainland Europe. Police forces from five other countries were also involved.
Detective Chief Superintendent Bill Skelly told Reuters the scale of the problem was huge.
"Worldwide it's estimated that this is a business worth 8 billion pounds and for the UK it's estimated that it's as significant as the trafficking of class A drugs," he said.
More (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/11/AR2005101100223_pf.html)