Watch moment suspected people smugglers are arrested in early morning raids as more than 50 immigration officers descend on London

People smugglers have been arrested during early morning raids in London, as more than 50 Immigration Enforcement officers descended on addresses across the Capital.

The dawn raids, targeting suspects in Hounslow and Croydon, saw five individuals hauled away in handcuffs.

They are suspected of running a "ferry-style" service for Vietnamese migrants, treating the UK’s borders like a personal concierge service for illegal entry.

Investigators believe this gang operated on an international scale, providing a seamless "end-to-end" service.

Alongside the human arrests, Border Force dogs Paddy and Milo sniffed out a haul of Rolex watches, Class A drugs, and piles of cash.

Minister for Migration and Citizenship, Mike Tapp said: “This morning immigration officers took action against one of their top priority investigations, targeting a suspected prolific people smuggling gang. They have now all been arrested.

“Anyone who abuses our immigration rules should be in no doubt we will root them out.

“With enforcement arrests at a record high and a 33 per cent increase in disrupting organised immigration crime, we are equipping officers with the tools they need to restore order to our borders.”

Since the Border Security Command was established in July 2024, there have been nearly 4,000 disruptions to migrant smuggling a 33 per cent surge compared to previous years.

New laws under the Border Security Act also came into force just last week, specifically targeting the "digital traffickers" who advertise their illegal services on social media.

Under the plans people selling and handling boat parts suspected of being used in migrant Channel crossings could face up to 14 years in prison under new laws.

The new law formally repeals the Conservatives' Rwanda plan, and axes large parts of the Illegal Migration Act which said that small boat arrivals should not have asylum claims considered.

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Based on Home Office figures released in early 2026, 2025 was the highest year on record for illegal working enforcement activity in the UK.

Following a surge in immigration raids, 2025 saw the highest levels of enforcement since records began in 2019.

In the year ending September 2025, approximately 51,000 people arrived in the UK via illegal routes.

Total small boat arrivals in 2025 were comparable to the 2022 peak, with top nationalities including Eritrean, Afghan, Iranian, Sudanese, and Somali.

In January, Yvette Cooper told GB News: "We can't just keep doing any more of the gimmicks.

"It's got to be this really serious law enforcement, and we've got to treat the border security in the same way that we treat issues of security against terror threats.

""And that's why we're introducing counter terror style powers to give law enforcement much stronger powers to act early."

The Home Secretary added: "If we are going to strengthen border security and prevent lives being lost, we have to have stronger law enforcement powers to go after the dangerous gangs."