A recent crackdown on illegal border crossings in Northern Ireland has led to the detention of hundreds of individuals attempting to enter Great Britain from Ireland by criminal gangs charging up to €8,000 for a safer alternative to crossing the Channel on small boats. The operation, called Operation Comby, was launched as an intensified effort to combat people smuggling in the common travel area (CTA) between Ireland and the UK.
The UK Home Office has been conducting joint efforts with the Garda Siochána in the Irish Republic to crack down on the abuse of the CTA by criminal gangs who exploit vulnerable individuals seeking a way into Great Britain. The border security minister, Angela Eagle, emphasized the UK government’s commitment to fighting people smugglers at every border.
Recent operations have led to dozens of arrests, the seizure of criminal cash, forged documents, and the detection of counterfeit passports used by individuals attempting to illegally enter the UK. The surge in asylum seekers using Belfast and Dublin as backdoor routes has raised concerns in Ireland, prompting increased attention to preventing illegal crossings through the CTA.
Jonathan Evans of the immigration enforcement unit in Belfast noted that people-smuggling gangs are now targeting Dublin as a VIP alternative to crossing the Channel on boats. The gangs charge significant fees to desperate individuals for flights from Europe, counterfeit documents, and travel to their destination in the UK, highlighting the lucrative nature of their criminal activities. Operations like Comby aim to raise public awareness and deter people smugglers from exploiting the CTA for illegal crossings.
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