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.
2
A Turkish man alleged to have run a 'meet and greet' service for boat migrants has been arrested
Credit: Ray Collins
2
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."
Unlock even more award-winning articles as The Sun launches brand new membership programme -
Sun Club.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Irish Sun
an hour ago
- The Irish Sun
Sick moment Brit tourist is kicked in head ‘by gang trying to steal his phone' as cops arrest five 17-year-old boys
THIS is the sick moment a Brit tourist was kicked in the head by a gang of teenagers during a horror robbery in Portugal. The Brit, 18, was left bloodied and unconscious during the assault after the yobs allegedly tried to steal his phone and cash before fleeing the scene. Advertisement 4 The Brit, 18, was left bloodied and unconscious during the assault Credit: Solarpix 4 The victim was seen lying defenceless on the ground after being attacked Credit: Solarpix 4 One of the suspected attackers who filmed the clip; five of them have been arrested Credit: Solarpix Footage filmed by the violent attackers shows the victim lying defenceless on the ground after being attacked. Portuguese police revealed today that the 18-year-old Brit had been robbed and hospitalised. The group is said to have stolen the victim's phone, worth around €600 (£525) Cops said five of the attackers - all aged 17 - have been arrested. Advertisement read more world news Another four were identified by police . The violent crime occurred at the party resort of Albufeira. Two of the teenage suspects were filmed kicking their victim in the footage posted online. CCTV footage in the area where the assault took place is understood to have been key to the identification of those responsible. Advertisement Most read in The Sun The unnamed victim is now back in the UK. Confirming the arrests, a spokesman for the GNR police force said: "The Faro Territorial Command arrested five 17-year-old men for robbery in the municipality of Albufeira. Shocking moment Brit influencer HSTikkyTokky batters reveller as massive brawl erupts in Magaluf "Following an investigation into a robbery involving violent assaults on an 18-year-old man, which took place on 17 July in the town of Albufeira. "The military police carried out police investigations that enabled them to identify and locate the suspects. Advertisement 'During the police investigation , the GNR intercepted the five suspects and arrested them, also seizing five mobile phones. 'The detainees were due to appear on July 24 at the Portimao Judicial Court .' The teenagers , who live in Quarteira near Albufeira, are suspected of a number of other violent assaults on other young tourists. An active police investigation is ongoing. Advertisement Local reports said they filmed the attacks and posted the footage on social media to brag about what they had done. Albufeira has come under the spotlight in recent weeks following the deaths of two British tourists in quick succession . On June 4, tragic Scots tourist Greg Monks was found dead near Albufeira after going missing a week earlier in the resort. The 38-year-old plant mechanic from Glasgow is believed to have lost his life after jumping over a wall and falling down a steep hillside during a night out with his stag do friends. Advertisement Around four hours before Greg's body was found by police, another young The 21-year-old is said to have gone out drinking with pals and is thought to have become disoriented as he tried to get back to his hotel. News of his death only emerged three days after Greg was found dead. 4 Local reports said they filmed the attacks and posted the footage on social media to brag about what they had done Credit: Solarpix Advertisement
Sunday World
2 hours ago
- Sunday World
Cops appeal for info on silver car in connection to fatal Fermanagh shooting
Police are appeal for information on a silver Mercedes saloon car being driven in the Clones Road area of Newtownbutler. The PSNI is appealing for specific information regarding a a silver Mercedes saloon car, in relation to the fatal Maguiresbridge shooting. Detectives from the Major Investigation Team, conducting the murder investigation into the shooting that killed Vanessa Whyte and her two children, James and Sara, made the appeal on Saturday afternoon Detective Chief Inspector Neil McGuinness said: 'Our investigation is ongoing and we are working tirelessly to determine the exact circumstances of this tragedy. News in 90 Seconds - July 26th "I would continue to appeal generally for anyone with information to come forward and more specifically I would ask anyone who saw a silver Mercedes saloon car being driven in the Clones Road area of Newtownbutler, or between Maguiresbridge and Newtownbutler, on the evening of Tuesday 22nd July, to call detectives on 101, quoting reference 276 23/07/25. "Anyone who was travelling in the area and who may have captured dash-cam footage which could assist, please get in touch.' A report can also be made using the online reporting form via Alternatively, information can be provided to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at
The Irish Sun
8 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'. Chilling moment schoolboy, 12, stalks playground brandishing HUGE knife in front of pupils shouting 'what ARE you doing' 14 Shuttered down shops near a 24-hour off licence, which causes locals extra concern Credit: STEVE ALLEN 14 The estate is famous for being where Angela Rayner and Phil Foden grew up Credit: STEVE ALLEN Advertisement 14 Kieran Morgan used a sawn off shotgun to fire into the burger bar where diners were eating Credit: STEVE ALLEN 14 CCTV footage caught Morgan on camera firing at a house Credit: GMP One woman, who didn't wish to be named, told The Sun 'there are bad families on every street', but the threat of 'reprisals' meant a lot of crimes go unreported. A mother collecting her child from a nearby school added: 'You see people who are on drugs or who've been drinking. Advertisement 'I certainly wouldn't walk around here at night. There are lots of kids on e-bikes and scooters and they're really dangerous because you can't hear them coming. 'There's also anti-social behaviour with kids hanging around, although it's not quite as bad as it used to be. 'I do think a bigger police presence would be a good thing.' 'Police here every day' Meanwhile residents in Shaw Heath, as well as those on the neighbouring Bridgehall estate, where Advertisement On the day The Sun visited Bridgehall, police were seen detaining a teenage girl who was suspected of carrying a knife. There's a lot of people around here on drink and drugs and they swear and say to you, 'What you looking at?' Sometimes I'm scared to look at people because of how they react Karen Robinson A mother-of-three, who didn't wish to be named, said she often witnessed drug deals taking place outside her house. 'Cars will pull up and people will get in so they can pretend to be friends,' she said. 'But it's obvious what's going on. I want to move because it's so bad. But it's hard to find a bigger home.' Advertisement She added that police are 'here every day' due to persistent anti-social behaviour but 'never do anything'. Her neighbour Steven Wood, 39, said he 'worries' about the older members of his family because of 'intimidating' gangs of drug-taking youths hanging around on the streets or in alleyways. 'It used to be lovely round here but it's not now,' he told The Sun. 'You're constantly on edge waiting for something to happen.' He added that his aunty had made a 'long list' of reports to police but 'nothing seems to get done'. Advertisement Bridgehall resident Karen Robinson, 48, whose daughter was in the same school class as Foden, said it can be 'uncomfortable' living on the estate. 'You look at people the wrong way and they can be a bit funny, a bit nasty,' she said. 'There's a lot of people around here on drink and drugs and they swear and say to you, 'What you looking at?' 'Sometimes I'm scared to look at people because of how they react. Advertisement 14 Karen Robinson, 48, says kids swear at her regularly Credit: STEVE ALLEN 14 Takeaway owner Mohammed Islam was run over and killed in an attempted car-jacking Credit: MEN Media 14 Connor Read, 19, admitted conspiracy to steal in connection with the killing of a takeaway owner Mohammed Islam Credit: MEN 'I've been on my own for nine years after my daughter left home, and I feel it's a place where I go in, shut my door and keep myself to myself. Advertisement 'I only really talk to my neighbour and the kids are really cheeky and swear at you and call you names. 'There's no respect at all with the younger generation.' She said there had been a recent machete attack on the estate and other violent incidents, including a taxi driver being stabbed, and she wanted to 'get out'. 'Gangs & guns' Nurse Amy Fletcher, 28, said she knew 'dodgy' activities took place on the estate and police regularly carried out raids. Advertisement 'Probably the worst thing is people stealing,' she said. 'I saw some kids up on a roof the other day. 'And I thought to myself, 'Please get down from there, that's not sensible'.' And another Bridgehall resident, who only gave his name as David, said: 'There are loads of kids around here who cause trouble. 'We've had problems for years with the e-bikes, scooters and anti-social behaviour. Advertisement 'They just don't care and taunt the police when they come round.' In January 2021 a carjacking led to a restaurant owner and father-of-three being run over and killed. It used to be lovely round here but it's not now. You're constantly on edge waiting for something to happen Steven Wood He'd tried to cling on to the car before he was sent 'flying' to the ground, with the car then running over his head as the 14-year-old behind the wheel, from Brinnington, 'floored' it. Advertisement Five teenagers - including Connor Read, 19 - were later sentenced for their role in the shocking crime. In June that year 'gang rivalry' spilled out into the streets of Cheadle Hulme when a 15-year-old gunman fired shots at a convenience store in broad daylight before pointing the gun at a delivery driver. Manchester Crown Court heard how Jacob Richards had become 'firmly entrenched in a culture of gangs and guns' and had 'bragged' about his crimes in raps. Richards also carried out a separate arson attack with fellow gunman Remico Embrack, 20, and was convicted for a catalogue of violent incidents in 2024. Advertisement County lines crackdown As far back as 2020, a Youth Violence Strategy report had warned of 'increasing levels of serious youth violence, criminal exploitation and working with children who identify themselves as having a gang affiliation'. Among its recommendations was early intervention and knife crime awareness sessions in schools, the identification of 'at risk' children and active policing in crime hot-spots. 14 A dilapidated and boarded-up home on Bridgehall Estate Credit: STEVE ALLEN 14 Amy Fletcher, 28, says there's a lot of 'dodgy' things going on in the area Credit: STEVE ALLEN Advertisement 14 The estate had been blighted by rising crime Credit: STEVE ALLEN Greater Manchester Police (GMP) and partners are supporting the Home Office's Safer Streets Summer Initiative, aimed at reducing crime across town centres and communities. The force has been involved in other initiatives and operations to tackle serious and organised crime. Programme Challenger sees them working with other agencies to disrupt and dismantle criminal networks, including drug lines, the buying and use of firearms and money laundering. Advertisement And Operation Venture, launched in 2023, sees officers working as part of a multi-agency team, which includes the Greater Manchester's Violence Reduction Unit (VRU), and using a variety of tactics to tackle violence, particularly involving young people and knife crime. Last year it led to three men from Brinnington being charged as part of a crackdown on a county lines drug-dealing operation. Three separate incidents also led to five arrests and the recovery of a large amount of cash and drugs and the 'dismantling' of an OCG in the Shaw Heath area. On the one-year anniversary of Challenger, the force claimed to have made a 'sizeable impact' on reducing serious violence on the streets, with 452 arrests, 130 weapons recovered, and £250,0000 seized. Advertisement Superintendent David Henthorne, from Greater Manchester Police's Stockport district, said : 'Across Stockport on a daily basis, officers from a variety of teams undertake work to tackle criminality, lock-up those responsible, and help address the roots to these issues. I only really talk to my neighbour and the kids are really cheeky and swear at you and call you names Karen Robinson 'This includes our neighbourhood teams who immerse themselves in their communities, knowing who causes problems and when, and can appropriately patrol and monitor known hotspots to crack down on ASB, drug-dealing, and other offences causing misery in people's lives.' He wanted to encourage anyone in the community who was having issues to contact local officers or do so anonymously via Crimestoppers. A spokesperson for Stockport Council said: 'Stockport is a great place to live and work. We've been regularly recognised among the best places to live by national publications like the Sunday Times. Advertisement 'This data from 2017 doesn't reflect the Stockport of today: a borough being transformed through major investment and partnership working. 'We know feeling safe is fundamental to people's quality of life, which is why tackling crime and anti-social behaviour remains a priority for us and our partners. 'Through our One Stockport, One Future approach, working closely with partners and Greater Manchester Police, we're tackling the root causes of crime and inequality — building safer, stronger communities for everyone. We encourage all residents to report concerns and access support where needed.' A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) said: 'Greater Manchester has a strong record of working in partnership to tackle serious and organised crime across the city-region, exemplified through Programme Challenger. Advertisement "There is no evidence to suggest the threat of serious organised crime is getting worse in Stockport. 'Wherever any localised issues arise we work in partnership with GMP and others through Programme Challenger to tackle this with local community organisations. 'There is also exemplary safeguarding work taking place in the borough through the Aspire Complex Safeguarding Team to protect children and young people from harm.'
