London (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Authorities have arrested a man in Amsterdam on suspicious activity of supplying engines and boats to smugglers involved in cross-Channel crossings.
The 44-year-old man was arrested at Schiphol Airport and faces extradition to Belgium on the charges of human trafficking.
Keir Starmer said that it was a “significant piece of the jigsaw” in opposing Channel migrant crossings, but “I’m not pretending it’s the silver bullet”.
The arrested man was charged with supplying engines and boats for cross-Channel smuggling, shipping them from Turkey and storage in Germany before reaching northern France.
The suspect is thought to have supplied boats and engines likely involved in smuggling thousands of individuals to the UK over the past few years.
The UK’s Prime Minister has praised the importance of collaborating with European law enforcement agencies central to his strategy to tackle small boat crossings.
This arrest follows an investigation involving the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA), alongside law enforcement agencies Belgium and Dutch.
The Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, hailed the arrest in a televised statement at the Home Office. He said, “It is good news that today a man suspected of being a significant supplier of small boat equipment has been arrested. Criminal gangs have been getting away with this for far too long. It’s exactly what we want to see and it shows that our approach of working with international partners to smash the people smuggling gangs is bearing fruit”.
Sir Keir Starmer stated, “It shows our approach of working with international partners to smash the people smuggling gangs is bearing fruit. I want to thank the UK National Crime Agency, along with their Dutch and Belgian counterparts, for all their hard work and their crucial role in this investigation”.
He added, “The measures the government has taken since it took office in July are “clearly… having an impact”.
He insisted his government “inherited a very bad position” amid record numbers of migrants arriving in the first half of the year “because the entire focus until we had the election was on a gimmick, the Rwanda gimmick, and not enough attention was on taking down the gangs that are running this vile trade”.
According to Home Office data, more than 32,000 individuals crossed the English Channel by boat to Britain in the year 2024.
Rob Jones, National Crime Agency director general in operations, said, “We suspect that this individual is a major supplier of boats and engines to the smugglers operating in Belgium and northern France. The types of vessels and engines we see used in making these crossings are highly dangerous and completely unfit for open water”.
He added, “At least 50 people are known to have died this year as a result. There is no legitimate use for them”.
According to the NCA agency, the operation comes as the NCA leads approximately 70 active investigations into organized immigration crime and human smuggling.
West-Flanders public prosecutor’s office spokesperson said it is “crucial in the fight against human smuggling”.