A man suspected of being a significant supplier of small boats equipment to people smugglers has been arrested in Amsterdam following a joint operation by the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) and Dutch and Belgian police.
The man is alleged to have supplied engines and boats to smugglers in northern France, according to the NCA.
The Turkish national, 44, was arrested at Schiphol Airport on Wednesday and will be extradited to Belgium to face charges of human smuggling.
NCA director general for operations Rob Jones called the arrest a milestone in one of the agency’s “most significant investigations into organised immigration crime”.
He said the man was thought to be a “major supplier” of “highly dangerous” boats and engines to smugglers operating in Belgium and northern France. The NCA said it has been investigating for several years.
Authorities said the man, who has not been named, shipped supplies from Turkey, stored them in Germany, then transported them to northern France.
He was arrested after authorities learned he was travelling from Turkey to the Netherlands.
The man is likely to face legal proceedings in Belgium because the offences he is suspected of committing took place there.
A spokesperson for the public prosecutor’s office of West-Flanders said international cooperation is “crucial in the fight against human smuggling”.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer described the arrest as a “significant piece of the jigsaw” in tackling Channel crossings, but said he was “not pretending it [was] the silver bullet”.
“Criminal gangs have been getting away with this for far too long,” he added.
Earlier this month Sir Keir announced an extra £75m to police the UK’s borders, vowing to “treat people smugglers like terrorists”.
Sellers of the tools of the “trade”, whether it be these type of boats or 24 inch Zombie Knives are to come under vastly increased scrutiny. Good, Proifiting from the misery and death their wares cause should be severely punished. They truly are scum.
