The reverse of the ‘Rwanda effect’: Large-scale operation catches traffickers smuggling migrants into the UK across the border from Ireland

Hundreds of migrants have been arrested after trying to enter the UK by crossing the border from Ireland – an apparent reversal of the trend which has seen asylum seekers turn the other way to escape deportation towards Rwanda.

Criminal gangs charge up to €8,000 (£6,600) to smuggle migrants from Ireland to Northern Ireland after presenting it as a safer route than crossing the English Channel on small boats , according to authorities.

They then have the choice of remaining in Northern Ireland or traveling to mainland Britain on ferries or planes.

The interceptions are part of a Home Office campaign called Operation Comby, launched last April to tackle abuse of the Common Travel Area, which allows people to travel between Northern Ireland and the Republic without restrictions.

This contrasts with the situation in the spring, which saw an influx of migrants entering the Republic after arriving in Britain on small boats due to fears over the now-abandoned Rwandan project.

A three-day operation resulted in 35 arrests across Ireland and the UK and the seizure of £400,000 in cash and 10 fraudulent identity documents.

Checks were carried out at the country’s main ports, airports and road networks to disrupt smuggling routes.

An Iranian man appears to have traveled from Barcelona to Dublin posing as a Ukrainian.

Officers stopped the man as he walked towards the departure area at Belfast Airport and quickly suspected his passport was fake. After being questioned, he admitted to being Iranian.

Minister for Border Security and Asylum, Dame Angela Eagle, said: “This Government will not stand idly by while criminal gangs exploit vulnerable people, risking their lives and giving them false hopes of a better life in the UK.

“Driven by greed, these gangs have no respect for human life or safety, charging exorbitant rates, preying on those desperate to escape hardship and forcing them into illegal and dangerous situations .

“We are fighting them on all fronts under the leadership of our new border security commander.

“Dismantling these gangs’ business models doesn’t just apply to the small boat trade: we’re also cutting off other routes to the UK to bring them to justice and reduce their profits. »

Earlier this year, the movement of migrants from the UK to Ireland due to the so-called “Rwanda effect” caused a major diplomatic row.

Hundreds of people ended up sleeping rough next to the Dublin International Protection Office, which had no toilets or sanitation facilities, before the camp was emptied by Irish authorities.

Taoiseach Simon Harris has pledged to bring in new laws to make it easier for migrants to return, after the country’s courts ruled the UK could not be classified as “safe” due to the deal with the African state.

In response, Rishi Sunak said he was “not interested” in taking back migrants from Ireland given the EU refuses to take back Channel migrants arriving from France.

Jonathan Evans, Inspector of Immigration Enforcement at the Home Office, said: “This operation has been a huge success and sends a clear message that smuggling gangs who break our laws will face serious harm. serious consequences.

“We are taking action day in and day out to ensure we stay one step ahead of these criminal groups, disrupting them as early as possible.

“We will continue to work tirelessly to ensure no one abuses the UK’s Common Travel Area or borders.”

“I am incredibly proud of our teams across the country, as well as our partners in the police, the National Crime Agency and their international counterparts, for their hard work and collaboration in delivering this important operation.”