Police have arrested ten people in dawn raids across Greater Manchester as part of a crackdown on organised immigration crime.
Among the addresses targeted were a travel agent, money exchange business, a mini-mart and a takeaway.
All the people arrested were suspected of helping smuggle people into the UK by falsifying travel documents and putting travel plans in place for them, police said.
Greater Manchester Police Det Ch Sup John Griffith, who led the operation, said the force was “dedicated to making a hostile environment for those criminal facilitators of organised immigration crime”.
He added: “These criminals are exploiting the world’s most vulnerable individuals, putting them at risk of exploitation once they arrive in the UK, charging large sums of money for their illegal services, and undermining our immigration system.”
Officers arrested eight men and two women, aged between 19 and 52. All the arrests were said to be connected.
The force alleged the suspects had been utilising their businesses and services to plan and assist the criminal network.
His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, the Home Office’s Immigration Criminal and Financial Investigations teams, and Trading Standards were all involved in the raids.
