
Turkish man alleged to have run ‘meet and greet' service for small boat migrants is arrested
The Sun joined Home Office immigration enforcement as they tracked the suspected people smuggler down to a family house in Tottenham, North London.
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A Turkish man alleged to have run a 'meet and greet' service for boat migrants has been arrested
Credit: Ray Collins
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Border Force officers found his contact details on phones seized from small boat migrants brought in to Dover
Credit: Getty
We watched as officers stormed the home at 6.25am and nicked the 34-year-old, who was wearing a Hugo Boss t-shirt and North Face tracksuit.
He was brought out handcuffed and led to a police van by two cops.
Others searched his black Mercedes parked over the road in the quiet street.
The Home Office acted after Border Force officers found his contact details on phones seized from small boat migrants brought in to Dover.
read more on migrants
Law enforcement suspect he is part of a 'meet and greet' operation for arrivals and could have been housing some of those trying to enter the UK illegally.
So far this year, more than 23,000 have crossed the Channel on overcrowded dinghies — a record for this point of the year.
Home Office Criminal and Financial Investigations regional lead for London and South, Chris Foster, told The Sun outside the targeted address: 'We think this man is involved in
'These people are just taking advantage of the vulnerable.
Most read in The Sun
"They're being sold a dream and actually that's not the reality.
'We're going to bear down on those involved in this vile trade.
Two asylum seekers caught making OnlyFans sex film in hotel paid for by YOU in shocking abuse of system
'It's not just about people coming here illegally, it also feeds things like illegal working.
"People involved in this often have got links to other organised crime, drug dealing, things like that."
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The Irish Sun
4 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
We live on Angela Rayner's old estate & we're desperate to move… druggies deal on my doorstep & teen girls are tooled up
WITNESSING another drug deal brazenly take place in spitting distance of her doorstep, a nervous mum hurriedly shuts her curtains. Terrified of 'reprisals' if she were to speak out, she and many other residents on the estate in the Advertisement 14 The Sun witnessed police arresting a teen suspected of carrying a knife Credit: STEVE ALLEN 14 Keiran Morgan and Zaki Shazad were jailed for a total of 34 years for a gangland shooting 14 Crime scene investigators analysing the scene at shop where a gang-related shooting took place in 2021 Credit: Adam Vaughan/MEN 14 Deputy PM Angela Rayner grew up in the area Credit: Jack Hill/The Times Meanwhile locals in neighbouring communities admit they fear walking the streets at night and complain of intimidating gangs of youths, drug-dealing, anti-social behaviour, stabbings, shootings and the menace of organised crime groups - known as OCGs. Stockport has traditionally seen much lower levels of gang activity than Manchester, and figures show it has the second lowest crime rate in Greater Manchester as a whole. When comparing crime rates across England and Wales, it is ranked 130th out of 313 areas for the 'most dangerous' place to live, with a rate of 80.7 crimes per 1,000 people. But the stats don't tell the full story, for while some of its affluent areas do indeed have low levels, it's more deprived districts are now crime hotspots – with a 2024 council report revealing it to be the eighth most polarised borough in England. Advertisement READ MORE FEATURES Two years ago there were a series of gangland hits which a judge said had 'all the hallmarks' of a dispute between serious organised criminals. Gunman Kieran Morgan, 30, used a sawn-off double shotgun to target two homes and a takeaway, where customers and staff were present. Morgan had acted on the orders of Zaki Shazad, 22, who, in turn, was said to be operating on behalf of an unidentified more senior criminal. Judge Jonathan Seely, at Manchester's Minshull Street Crown Court, described the shootings as an 'increasingly terrifying phenomenon for the citizens of our country' when he jailed Morgan for 18 years and Shazad for 16 years in June. Advertisement Most read in The Sun 'Bad families on every street' One of Stockport's so-called crime hotspots is the 'Brinny' estate in Brinnington, which has become notorious for its gangs of youths causing mayhem on e-bikes and scooters, while drugs and anti-social behaviour are everyday concerns. Some residents are too terrified to leave their homes at night and won't contact police due to fears they'll be labelled a 'grass'. 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The Irish Sun
4 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Huge Traveller fleet has set up camp outside our homes…they leave rubbish everywhere & want to buy my dog for £250
A HUGE traveller fleet has set up camp outside taxpayers' homes, leaving "stinking" piles of rubbish scattered around a much-loved park, locals claim. Dozens of caravans and other vehicles arrived at Swanshurst Park on the border of Moseley, Birmingham, last Sunday (July 20). Advertisement 8 A fleet of traveller caravans arrived at Swanshurst Park last Sunday Credit: SWNS 8 Rubbish is seen strewn across a patch of grass in the camp Credit: SWNS 8 Sandra Cotterill is annoyed the council clears the rubbish but won't collect taxpayers' bins Credit: SWNS It's the fifth such incursion at the same spot this year - and angry residents say this one is the biggest yet. People say they're annoyed the council regularly clears away the group's rubbish with the city in the midst of a months-long bin collection strike. One resident claims a traveller keeps trying to buy his designer French bulldog for £250. The Friends of Swanshurst Park Facebook group says the travellers gained access by moving a large log and driving in past bike racks. Advertisement READ MORE NEWS Mum-of-two Rabai Tahir, who lives opposite the park, moved to the UK from Dubai with her husband five years ago and is 'astonished' travellers are allowed to keep coming back. They leave lots of rubbish bags and some of it stinks. It's cleaned up by my council tax money. I don't allow my kids to go over to the play park when they're there. We don't know who they are. Rabai Tahir Local resident and mum-of-two 'They leave lots of rubbish bags and some of it stinks,' she told The Sun. 'It's cleaned up by my council tax money. "I don't allow my kids to go over to the play park when they're there. We don't know who they are. 'It's shocking for me and my husband that people can stay here for weeks. It's a community park.' Advertisement Most read in The Sun Sandra Cotterill has lived opposite the park for 19 years. She said: 'I've had no trouble with them, they never bother me. Some people don't want to take their kids and dogs there." However, she is annoyed that the local authority makes such an effort to clear the group's rubbish when thousands in the city have seen their own rubbish pile up for months. Inside Birmingham's bin wars as strikes see streets overrun with RATS and piles of rotting food and rubbish are left to fester Sandra said: 'They bag up all the rubbish and the council cleans it all away. "We're paying our taxes, and we can't get our bin bags picked up, but they get theirs taken.' Advertisement Birmingham has been hit by long-running bin strikes. Piles of rubbish have been seen in parts of the city since bin collection workers walked out in January. Sandra's neighbour, who has lived in the area for 40 years and walks her dogs in the park, said residents are getting fed up with different traveller groups constantly coming and going. The woman, who did not want to be named, said: 'They clear them off and a week later another different group comes here. "I keep away from them, they take over the park really. We're all just fed up. Advertisement 'Travellers move the logs. We need a permanent solution to stop them coming onto the park. "The amount of money the council must spend tidying up is ridiculous.' Another man who, who says he's been offered money for his pet, added: 'They're all right, they're not bad people and I've got Irish in my family. 2025 Birmingham bin strike The Birmingham bin strike is an ongoing stand off between refuse workers and Birmingham City Council over pay and the removal of roles. It started in January 2025 and full scale industrial action was then taken from March 11, involving members of Unite union. The same month, the local authority declared a major incident after 17,000 tonnes of rubbish were left uncollected on the city's streets. In April, the government was forced to call in Army specialists to provide logistical support. This month, Unite said it would review its relationship with the Labour Party after the government expressed support for the council amid the strike. According to reports, lower income areas, including Sparkhill, Balsall Heath, Small Heath, Sparkbrook and Ladywood have suffered the greatest compared to more affluent suburbs like Harborne and Edgbaston. On Friday (July 25), a second megapicket co-ordinated by Strike Map started across several parts of Birmingham, involving 26 organisations from across the trade union movement, in support of the striking workers. Former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn urged Birmingham City Council to 'get a deal now' as more piles of rubbish were left uncollected. 'I don't like the mess though and my kids can't use the park when they're around.' Advertisement One resident, a new mum, added: 'They make a mess, but it doesn't bother me. A lot of people here don't like it because the park is for children and it restricts them from using it.' This week the admin of the volunteer-run Swanshurst Park Facebook group posted: 'Spent another couple of hours clearing up litter round the Park. "I'm fairly sure that some of it was nothing to do with the Travellers and had been dropped last night by other people traversing the Park. 'Had some good interactions with some of the women who thanked me for my efforts and assured they would bag up their rubbish. Advertisement "We will see but I am sure it will be better than on previous occasions. "Some of the children wanted to help me and I am sure this must be the way forward to get a dialogue going.' A council spokesperson said: " steps to recover this land where unauthorised encampments encroach upon it. "The council has useable transit sites and plots for use by the Gypsy, Assessment carried out and updated in 2019 can be found on our website." Advertisement 8 Some locals are worried about letting their kids use the playpark, which sits next to the camp Credit: SWNS 8 It's the fifth time travellers have taken over the park this year Credit: SWNS 8 Children from the camp in the park this week Credit: SWNS 8 Dozens of caravans are currently parked up Credit: SWNS Advertisement 8 Many locals want the council to do more Credit: SWNS


The Irish Sun
5 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Schoolboy, 13, found dead in playground had ‘hoped someone would come looking for him'
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