The men – all Afghan nationals – were arrested on Wednesday as part of co-ordinated action in Belgium and Italy in which 10 people were arrested, the National Crime Agency (NCA) said.
Minister for Border Security and Asylum Dame Angela Eagle said: “These arrests demonstrate the enduring commitment of teams working at home and abroad to tackling organised criminal gangs and ensuring that those accused of involvement face prosecution.
NCA deputy director Craig Turner said: “The threat posed by organised immigration crime is chronic and enduring, and we currently have 70 live investigations into the gangs involved in it.”.
NCA officers arrested the men at addresses in Leicester, Birmingham, Essex and south London, after warrants were issued for their arrest by the Belgian courts.
The organised crime group had been running since 2022 and allegedly used social media platforms to communicate with migrants, the NCA added.
