NCA warning as lorry drivers are targeted for recruitment by people smuggling gangs
The National Crime Agency is warning that organised criminal gangs are actively recruiting HGV drivers to smuggle migrants both into and out of the UK. It follows a spike in arrests in Kent which has seen a number of drivers detained as they attempted to board trains or ferries to France whilst carrying people illegally in their vehicles. People smugglers are known to be targeting drivers, offering them thousands of pounds to transport people across the border in otherwise legitimate loads.
In some cases drivers are known to have assisted the criminal gangs in loading people into their trucks, in others they have turned a blind eye by leaving their vehicles unlocked in specific locations. NCA Deputy Director of Investigations Craig Turner said: "We know these crime gangs are actively trying to recruit drivers to work for them, promising them a supposedly low risk way of making extra money.
"In fact, it is anything but. We have a number of operations investigating this type of criminality, and recent arrests have demonstrated that the chances of getting caught are high. "Those who do get caught risk a life-changing prison sentence.
It simply isn't worth the risk. "I'm certain that the overwhelming majority of those in the haulage industry are law abiding and I would urge them to report any suspicious activity like this to the police or Crimestoppers." Between July and October this year the NCA has been involved in the arrests of nine lorry drivers in Kent for people smuggling offences.
The most significant was that of Iona Monescu, 49, from Romania, who was detained after 44 Bangladeshi and Pakistani people were found in the back of his trailer at the port of Dover in August. He was sentenced to three years in prison on 25 September. The NCA continues to carry out a number of investigations looking at criminal groups using trucks to smuggle people.
On 17 July this year seven members of a people smuggling network were jailed for between 13 and seven years each for organising crossings from the UK to France. Five HGV drivers were also jailed for their roles in assisting the gang. And in June 2023 people smuggling boss Md Moktar Hossain, from Woodford Green, London, was jailed for more than ten years.
The NCA investigation into his crime group saw seven lorry drivers convicted and sent to prison. Another group investigated by the NCA face trial in January for allegedly smuggling Afghan migrants to the UK in the back of a lorry. The vehicle's driver is among those charged.
Deputy Director Craig Turner added: "The criminal networks offering services to move people out of the UK illegally are often using the same drivers and methods to bring people in, which makes it more important that we take action against them. "For them, this is a business, and like any other haulier they don't want to 'run empty' while returning to the continent.
"Tackling organised immigration crime is a key priority for the NCA. We have around 100 investigations ongoing into groups or individuals involved in the top tier of this form of criminality, and we are determined to do all we can to target, disrupt and dismantle them." In 2023 the NCA, alongside Border Force and the charity Crimestoppers, launched a campaign appealing to those working in the haulage industry to stay alert and report suspicious activity.
Those with information can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111, or online via their website. Further details can be found here: https://crimestoppers-uk.org/get-involved/campaigns/keep-logistics-secure. In an emergency, always call 999.
Commenting on today's NCA warning that organised criminal gangs are actively recruiting HGV drivers to smuggle migrants both into and out of the UK, Andrew Sanderson, Transport partner at Kingsley Napley LLP says: "The National Crime Agency's alert that organised crime groups are targeting HGV drivers to smuggle migrants across UK borders underlines a growing area of criminal enforcement.
While some drivers may be approached under false pretences or subject to financial pressure, both individual drivers and their employers can face serious criminal consequences if found to have facilitatedillegal entry into the UK, whether deliberately or through negligence. Under the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 and related legislation, those convicted of knowingly assisting unlawful immigrationmay face substantial fines, confiscation of assets, and custodial sentences of up to 14 years.
Even absent deliberate intent, a failure to take reasonable steps to secure a vehicle can result in civil penalties of up to GBP10,000 per migrant, alongside reputationaland operational damage. To mitigate these risks, logistics companies and drivers should adopt robust vehicle security protocols, ensure regular staff training, and maintain clear reporting channels for any suspicious approaches or attempted interference.
Immediate notification to the authorities is strongly advised if drivers are targeted. Anyone under investigation should seek advice from a specialist criminal and regulatory law firm with experience in immigrationand organised crime matters (like my firm Kingsley Napley).
Early expert intervention can be decisive in establishing due diligence, challenging allegations, and protecting both personal and corporate interests.
The NCA's warning serves as a timely reminder that vigilance, compliance, and prompt legal guidance are essential insafeguarding against serious criminal liability."