Two men arrested in Bournemouth on suspicion of people smuggling

Two men have been arrested in Bournemouth and a third in Belgium on suspicion of people smuggling to the UK.

The South West Regional Organised Crime Unit (SWROCU) worked with Belgian law enforcement to carry out the arrests on Wednesday which also led to five people being stopped from travelling to the UK in a lorry.

A 33-year-old man from Southampton and a 55-year-old man from Bournemouth were arrested near Southbourne Grove in Bournemouth on suspicion of conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration into the UK.

The Southampton suspect was further arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply class A and B drugs after suspected cocaine and amphetamine were seized from his home.

The pair, who were detained with the assistance of Dorset Police, are currently in custody at Poole police station.

An SWROCU spokesman said: “At the same time, a man in Belgium was arrested and five men believed to be intending to travel by lorry to the UK were stopped.”

Detective Superintendent Kevin Till, head of SWROCU, said: “Criminals involved in organised immigration crime see migrants as nothing more than money making commodities.

“The high price tags they charge to facilitate their illegal journeys help to strengthen their criminal networks, causing yet more harm to our communities, often through drug supply and exploiting vulnerable people.

“Yesterday’s operation resulted in three arrests and five people who were preparing to travel here illegally being stopped.

“The more information we have to help identify suspects and potential victims, the more we can target the networks behind it.”