Arrests target organised immigration crime across UK
Hundreds of arrests linked to organised immigration crime have been made during a two-week, multi-agency operation.
Hundreds of arrests linked to organised immigration crime have been made during a two-week, multi-agency operation across the UK’s road, rail and port network.
Between 21 September – 5 October 2026 Operation Lockstream, led by the Organised Immigration Crime Domestic Taskforce, saw 387 deployments resulting in 452 arrests of which 66% were for immigration offences.
Police forces nationwide, including Police Scotland and Police Service Northern Ireland, and agencies including the Home Office, Border Force, and Immigration Enforcement, targeted transport networks where activity linked to organised immigration crime was suspected.
Information shared across agencies showed where criminals involved in organised immigration crime were suspected of using on-land transport networks to move people, commodities and assets.
Through the intense period of coordinated enforcement, Operation Lockstream succeeded in identifying and disrupting this criminal activity, arresting offenders and seizing goods.
The operation included:
- 387 deployments.
- 49 police forces and law enforcement agencies.
- Over 6,000 vehicles stopped.
- Over 11,000 people engaged with.
As a result of the operation:
- 452 arrests made, 66% for immigration offences.
- 491 vehicles seized, 79% cars and vans.
- Over 17,000 cigarette packs seized.
- 40kg of cannabis seized with a street value of over £100,000.
- 22 weapons seized.
- 57 mobile phones seized.
- Over £600,000 in cash seized.
- Over 900 police fines issued, the equivalent of over £141,000.
Deputy Chief Constable Wendy Gunney, National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead for Serious Organised Crime and Head of the Organised Immigration Crime Domestic Taskforce said:
“Organised immigration crime does not begin and end at our borders. We know through shared intelligence that our roads, rail and port networks are being exploited by criminals as they transport people and goods across the UK.
“Police forces are working side by side with partners to strengthen our response to this activity, and the results from Operation Lockstream demonstrate the impact we have made by targeting and disrupting criminals.
“Arrests have been linked to illegal working, immigration offences and fraudulent documents, and we have gathered valuable information about the routes being used and why, the organised crime groups involved, and the tactics and methods being used.
“This information will help us to re-focus our efforts to ensure we target our response to have the greatest impact on organised immigration crime, and protect our communities and legitimate businesses.”
Border Security and Asylum Minister Anna Turley said:
“Criminal gangs exploiting our roads, railways and ports should be in no doubt, we’re coming after them.
“This coordinated response forms part of the largest crackdown on people-smuggling gangs on record. Enforcement action has delivered more than 6,500 disruptions to smuggling activity including arrests, convictions and seizures since the election."
Contact information
Communications office
By phone: 0800 538 5058
By email: press.office@npcc.police.uk