Migrants react as a French police officer stands by ready to puncture the smuggler's boat (Image: AFP via Getty Images)
The threat people smugglers pose to Britain is “growing” as they will try to exploit war and global crises, a top law enforcement officer has warned.
Richard Chambers, director of organised and emerging crime at Interpol, said the smuggling networks are “developing fast”.
DON'T MISS
Powered by
'Developing fast': Britain facing 'growing' threat from migrant smugglers
Comments
Nigel Farage makes surprise offer to Keir Starmer after Donald Trump's election win
57 Comments
How Donald Trump defied the polls and his critics to win back US presidency
1 Comments
POLL: Will a Trump victory be good for the UK? Vote now
516 Comments
Sadiq Khan risks stoking feud with Donald Trump as he claims Londoners are 'fearful'
655 Comments
Kemi Badenoch leaves Keir Starmer dazed in brutal PMQs
109 Comments
Keir Starmer will have to grovel to Donald Trump to make up for Labour attacks
191 Comments
Rory Stewart faces huge loss after betting 'maximum allowed' on Kamala Harris win
289 Comments
Rachel Reeves has broken a manifesto pledge - Kemi Badenoch must hold her to account
21 Comments
The five ways Donald Trump and Keir Starmer will butt heads in new nightmare for Labour
438 Comments
PMQs LIVE: Kemi Badenoch to face Keir Starmer in first Commons showdown
792 Comments
Keir Starmer and David Lammy congratulate Donald Trump on US election victory
339 Comments
What Keir Starmer should be thinking about after Donald Trump's US election win
14 Comments
Fourth-generation farmer Bizza Walters warns of unaffordable tax bill
11 Comments
Crime kingpin masterminded thousands of perilous small boat crossings from his jail cell
34 Comments
Keir Starmer reveals one key thing he wants in new deal with the EU
413 Comments
October saw highest number of migrants cross the Channel this year in blow to Labour
236 Comments
We will stop at nothing to smash the vile people smuggling gangs, says Starmer
284 Comments
Keir Starmer 'warned' migrant crisis has reached Scotland - 'arriving every day'
44 Comments
Keir Starmer and Donald Trump 'fondly' recall September meeting in first call
3 Comments
'Developing fast': Britain facing 'growing' threat from migrant smugglers
Comments
Nigel Farage makes surprise offer to Keir Starmer after Donald Trump's election win
57 Comments
How Donald Trump defied the polls and his critics to win back US presidency
1 Comments
POLL: Will a Trump victory be good for the UK? Vote now
516 Comments
Sadiq Khan risks stoking feud with Donald Trump as he claims Londoners are 'fearful'
655 Comments
Kemi Badenoch leaves Keir Starmer dazed in brutal PMQs
109 Comments
Keir Starmer will have to grovel to Donald Trump to make up for Labour attacks
191 Comments
Rory Stewart faces huge loss after betting 'maximum allowed' on Kamala Harris win
289 Comments
Rachel Reeves has broken a manifesto pledge - Kemi Badenoch must hold her to account
21 Comments
The five ways Donald Trump and Keir Starmer will butt heads in new nightmare for Labour
438 Comments
PMQs LIVE: Kemi Badenoch to face Keir Starmer in first Commons showdown
792 Comments
Keir Starmer and David Lammy congratulate Donald Trump on US election victory
339 Comments
What Keir Starmer should be thinking about after Donald Trump's US election win
14 Comments
Fourth-generation farmer Bizza Walters warns of unaffordable tax bill
11 Comments
Crime kingpin masterminded thousands of perilous small boat crossings from his jail cell
34 Comments
Keir Starmer reveals one key thing he wants in new deal with the EU
413 Comments
October saw highest number of migrants cross the Channel this year in blow to Labour
236 Comments
We will stop at nothing to smash the vile people smuggling gangs, says Starmer
284 Comments
Keir Starmer 'warned' migrant crisis has reached Scotland - 'arriving every day'
44 Comments
Keir Starmer and Donald Trump 'fondly' recall September meeting in first call
3 Comments
'Developing fast': Britain facing 'growing' threat from migrant smugglers
Comments
Nigel Farage makes surprise offer to Keir Starmer after Donald Trump's election win
57 Comments
How Donald Trump defied the polls and his critics to win back US presidency
1 Comments
POLL: Will a Trump victory be good for the UK? Vote now
516 Comments
Sadiq Khan risks stoking feud with Donald Trump as he claims Londoners are 'fearful'
655 Comments
Kemi Badenoch leaves Keir Starmer dazed in brutal PMQs
109 Comments
Keir Starmer will have to grovel to Donald Trump to make up for Labour attacks
191 Comments
And Mr Chambers admitted he couldn’t say when the number of migrants crossing the Channel would begin to fall.
Growing tensions around the world "fuel a lot of this activity because the reality is, people seek a better place of safety", he said, adding: "Organised crime groups exploit that. They exploit those vulnerabilities, and they don't care about the consequences."
A Border Force vessel carrying around 100 migrants (Image: Getty Images)
A migrant reacts after boarding a smuggler's inflatable dinghy (Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Migrants crowd a smuggler's inflatable dinghy in an attempt to cross the English Channel (Image: AFP via Getty Images)
This comes as more than 50 migrants were rescued in the English Channel while several bodies were found floating at sea.
The French coastguard said 51 people were rescued after a boat got into difficulty when its engine failed off the coast of Audresselles, northern France, overnight on Monday into Tuesday.
The group was met by emergency services at Boulogne-sur-Mer quayside and taken to safety.
Meanwhile a ferry reported seeing a body adrift off the coast of Calais on Tuesday, prompting a search by a French patrol boat which led to the discovery of two bodies.
Richard Chambers, the law enforcement agency's director of organised and emerging crime, said "everyone" is concerned about the sheer number of migrants crossing the Channel to the UK, describing the more than 31,000 who have made the journey so far this year as "significant".
Asked how long it would take to see such enforcement activity leading to fewer crossings, he said: "That is a really hard question to answer."
Interpol will "absolutely be playing our role to make that difference. But it's not up to us alone.
"It's not going to happen overnight, but it's going to continue to be a massive coordinated effort by many partners".
The UK was among 116 countries and territories to take part in Interpol's week-long Operation Liberterra II, resulting in 2,517 arrests being made around the globe.
Some 3,222 potential victims of human trafficking were rescued and 17,793 irregular migrants also identified as part of raids carried out at the end of September and beginning of October.
Operation Liberterra II "told us that this particular crime type is very diverse”, Mr Chambers said. “It's developing. It's developing fast. It's a growing issue."
The problem is "more than any one country", he said as he told how the operation shone the "spotlight on the threat that human trafficking presents to the globe".
Speaking from the general assembly on Wednesday, he said: "We heard from the UK Prime Minister earlier this week about how important this issue is. So the UK has a very significant role to play in this effort."
Sir Keir "made a very clear statement around the priority that his Government places upon this issue, and that comes with our full support to assist law enforcement and jurisdictions globally to follow with more operations", he added.
And the results demonstrate the significance of what is, without doubt, a growing threat", Mr Chambers said, adding that he was "blown away" by the sheer scale of the problem given the number of potential victims that were identified as well as the number of the irregular migrants and arrests made.
Trending
During the operation, Tunisian authorities intercepted 27 people, including 21 children, who were trying to travel to the UK "under the pretence of a language study trip", Interpol said.
This led to three suspects being arrested after the National Crime Agency (NCA) found them living in the UK. They are now facing prosecution for smuggling charges.
DON'T MISS
Powered by
'Developing fast': Britain facing 'growing' threat from migrant smugglers
Comments
Nigel Farage makes surprise offer to Keir Starmer after Donald Trump's election win
57 Comments
How Donald Trump defied the polls and his critics to win back US presidency
1 Comments
POLL: Will a Trump victory be good for the UK? Vote now
516 Comments
Sadiq Khan risks stoking feud with Donald Trump as he claims Londoners are 'fearful'
655 Comments
Kemi Badenoch leaves Keir Starmer dazed in brutal PMQs
109 Comments
Keir Starmer will have to grovel to Donald Trump to make up for Labour attacks
191 Comments
Rory Stewart faces huge loss after betting 'maximum allowed' on Kamala Harris win
289 Comments
Rachel Reeves has broken a manifesto pledge - Kemi Badenoch must hold her to account
21 Comments
The five ways Donald Trump and Keir Starmer will butt heads in new nightmare for Labour
438 Comments
PMQs LIVE: Kemi Badenoch to face Keir Starmer in first Commons showdown
792 Comments
Keir Starmer and David Lammy congratulate Donald Trump on US election victory
339 Comments
What Keir Starmer should be thinking about after Donald Trump's US election win
14 Comments
Fourth-generation farmer Bizza Walters warns of unaffordable tax bill
11 Comments
Crime kingpin masterminded thousands of perilous small boat crossings from his jail cell
34 Comments
Keir Starmer reveals one key thing he wants in new deal with the EU
413 Comments
October saw highest number of migrants cross the Channel this year in blow to Labour
236 Comments
We will stop at nothing to smash the vile people smuggling gangs, says Starmer
284 Comments
Keir Starmer 'warned' migrant crisis has reached Scotland - 'arriving every day'
44 Comments
Keir Starmer and Donald Trump 'fondly' recall September meeting in first call
3 Comments
'Developing fast': Britain facing 'growing' threat from migrant smugglers
Comments
Nigel Farage makes surprise offer to Keir Starmer after Donald Trump's election win
57 Comments
How Donald Trump defied the polls and his critics to win back US presidency
1 Comments
POLL: Will a Trump victory be good for the UK? Vote now
516 Comments
Sadiq Khan risks stoking feud with Donald Trump as he claims Londoners are 'fearful'
655 Comments
Kemi Badenoch leaves Keir Starmer dazed in brutal PMQs
109 Comments
Keir Starmer will have to grovel to Donald Trump to make up for Labour attacks
191 Comments
Rory Stewart faces huge loss after betting 'maximum allowed' on Kamala Harris win
289 Comments
Rachel Reeves has broken a manifesto pledge - Kemi Badenoch must hold her to account
21 Comments
The five ways Donald Trump and Keir Starmer will butt heads in new nightmare for Labour
438 Comments
PMQs LIVE: Kemi Badenoch to face Keir Starmer in first Commons showdown
792 Comments
Keir Starmer and David Lammy congratulate Donald Trump on US election victory
339 Comments
What Keir Starmer should be thinking about after Donald Trump's US election win
14 Comments
Fourth-generation farmer Bizza Walters warns of unaffordable tax bill
11 Comments
Crime kingpin masterminded thousands of perilous small boat crossings from his jail cell
34 Comments
Keir Starmer reveals one key thing he wants in new deal with the EU
413 Comments
October saw highest number of migrants cross the Channel this year in blow to Labour
236 Comments
We will stop at nothing to smash the vile people smuggling gangs, says Starmer
284 Comments
Keir Starmer 'warned' migrant crisis has reached Scotland - 'arriving every day'
44 Comments
Keir Starmer and Donald Trump 'fondly' recall September meeting in first call
3 Comments
'Developing fast': Britain facing 'growing' threat from migrant smugglers
Comments
Nigel Farage makes surprise offer to Keir Starmer after Donald Trump's election win
57 Comments
How Donald Trump defied the polls and his critics to win back US presidency
1 Comments
POLL: Will a Trump victory be good for the UK? Vote now
516 Comments
Sadiq Khan risks stoking feud with Donald Trump as he claims Londoners are 'fearful'
655 Comments
Kemi Badenoch leaves Keir Starmer dazed in brutal PMQs
109 Comments
Keir Starmer will have to grovel to Donald Trump to make up for Labour attacks
191 Comments
In total nine people were arrested in the UK as part of the operation as the NCA sought out suspects wanted in Belgium, Germany, France and Romania for people smuggling, human trafficking and modern slavery offences.
Raids took place in Lancashire, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire, Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire and Kent, the NCA said.
The results of the operation emerged after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer vowed the Government would "treat people smugglers like terrorists" while announcing an extra ￡75 million for his border security command during a speech at the Interpol general assembly in Glasgow.