Immigration officers carry out series of arrests across Yorkshire, including Bradford, Barnsley and Wakefield

Immigration Enforcement officers executed warrants at five addresses in Bradford, Grimethorpe and Wakefield this morning (Thursday).

A 34-year-old Albanian man was arrested at an address in Bradford on suspicion of illegal entry to the UK and drugs offences and a 24-year-old Albanian man was arrested at an address in Wakefield on suspicion of illegal entry to the UK.

The raids were in connection with an international investigation into the smuggling of migrants into the UK by boat, supported by the National Crime Agency (NCA) and Project Invigor – the UK's organised immigration crime task force.

The operation was also supported by officers from West Yorkshire Police and South Yorkshire Police.

Officers carrying out the raids also seized £9,000 in cash and around 60 cannabis plants.

Belgian police today also arrested 10 people and seized a gun following searches of addresses in the Liege region in connection with the same investigation.

The arrests followed an incident on 4 December last year when 14 Albanian men were detained. The men were questioned on suspicion of entering the UK illegally via a vessel that had docked in Southwold Harbour, East Suffolk.

Minister for Immigration Compliance and the Courts Chris Philp said: “These arrests were made as part of an ongoing investigation into a suspected organised crime group involved in people smuggling. We believe that the arrests made today in the UK and Belgium will have significantly disrupted the group’s activities.

“People smuggling is an abhorrent crime that treats migrants as human cargo to be profited from. Working with partners at home and abroad, we are determined to do all we can to dismantle the criminal networks involved in illegal immigration.”