A 57-year-old man was arrested near Plymouth on Tuesday.
07 December 2022
A man has been arrested on suspicion of using his pleasure boat to smuggle migrants across the Channel.
The 57-year-old was stopped by officers from the National Crime Agency (NCA) while he was out with his dog in Lydford near Plymouth on Tuesday.
He allegedly used his Sunseeker boat to transport at least 10 migrants from Normandy in France to Slapton Sands in Devon on June 15.
Witnesses are said to have seen boat passengers running to waiting cars.
NCA branch commander Matt Rivers said: “This arrest follows a lengthy investigation into an individual we think has been using his boat to bring migrants into the UK illegally.
“While transporting people in a larger boat may appear safer, it remains extremely dangerous to be making any unauthorised journey in the Channel.
“People smugglers pay no regard to the lives of the people they are transporting.
“Tackling organised immigration crime is a key priority for the NCA and we work to target and disrupt organised crime groups involved at each step of the route.”
