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Newcastle Evening Chronicle, UK
February 4, 2010 Thursday
GANG SMUGGLED GIRL INTO TYNESIDE
BYLINE: ADAM JUPP
A HUMAN trafficking gang has been busted after trying to sneak a girl
of 15 into Tyneside.
The schoolgirl, originally from Armenia, in Eastern Europe, arrived at
the North Shields Ferry Terminal, having travelled from Holland.
UK Border Agency (UKBA) officers became suspicious when she tried to
enter the country using a Latvian passport.
It emerged she was accompanied by two men, also from Armenia, who were
49 and 25, and two women, 33 and 26, from Latvia.
And after further investigations by UKBA's North East Immigration
Crime Team (NICT), two more males, also Armenian and aged 30 and 19,
were picked up.
The teenager has been taken into the care of North Tyneside Council's
social services department, while the six adults were arrested on
suspicion of people trafficking offences.
The smuggling operation is not thought to be linked to prostitution
but inquiries are ongoing.
Det Insp Graham Brown, of the NICT, said: "The safety and wellbeing of
the young girl is of paramount importance to all the agencies involved
in this investigation.
"Trafficking and facilitation are serious offences which often involve
young and vulnerable members from the international community.
"The UK Border Agency, working with the North East Police forces, now
has a formidable team to investigate and detect such criminality."
The youngster and her chaperones had boarded a ferry in Amsterdam,
which sailed overnight on its way to North Shields.
Two of the men arrested had addresses in the Manchester area and all
those arrested have been bailed pending further inquiries.
The NICT was formed as the UKBA joined forces with the region's police
forces to focus on foreign crooks who have committed immigration
crimes and offences. It aims to crack down on the production, sale and
use of bogus travel documents.
As well as raids on addresses where those who have made use of illegal
paperwork are based, operations are carried out at our ports and
airports.
February 4, 2010 Thursday
GANG SMUGGLED GIRL INTO TYNESIDE
BYLINE: ADAM JUPP
A HUMAN trafficking gang has been busted after trying to sneak a girl
of 15 into Tyneside.
The schoolgirl, originally from Armenia, in Eastern Europe, arrived at
the North Shields Ferry Terminal, having travelled from Holland.
UK Border Agency (UKBA) officers became suspicious when she tried to
enter the country using a Latvian passport.
It emerged she was accompanied by two men, also from Armenia, who were
49 and 25, and two women, 33 and 26, from Latvia.
And after further investigations by UKBA's North East Immigration
Crime Team (NICT), two more males, also Armenian and aged 30 and 19,
were picked up.
The teenager has been taken into the care of North Tyneside Council's
social services department, while the six adults were arrested on
suspicion of people trafficking offences.
The smuggling operation is not thought to be linked to prostitution
but inquiries are ongoing.
Det Insp Graham Brown, of the NICT, said: "The safety and wellbeing of
the young girl is of paramount importance to all the agencies involved
in this investigation.
"Trafficking and facilitation are serious offences which often involve
young and vulnerable members from the international community.
"The UK Border Agency, working with the North East Police forces, now
has a formidable team to investigate and detect such criminality."
The youngster and her chaperones had boarded a ferry in Amsterdam,
which sailed overnight on its way to North Shields.
Two of the men arrested had addresses in the Manchester area and all
those arrested have been bailed pending further inquiries.
The NICT was formed as the UKBA joined forces with the region's police
forces to focus on foreign crooks who have committed immigration
crimes and offences. It aims to crack down on the production, sale and
use of bogus travel documents.
As well as raids on addresses where those who have made use of illegal
paperwork are based, operations are carried out at our ports and
airports.