UK Immigration Enforcement arrested 49 people during three days of coordinated action at ports and border crossings between 22 and 24 September, in a crackdown on criminal gangs smuggling migrants from Ireland into the UK.

Officers patrolled seaports, airports, roads and rail networks across Northern Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales. The week of action formed part of Operation Comby, a multi-agency effort targeting people who enter the UK illegally from Ireland. It coincides with a wider 74% surge in arrests for organised immigration crime.

Since the last general election, Operation Comby has led to more than 250 arrests of organised criminals and immigration offenders, of whom 113 have been removed from the UK. Officers have also seized almost £500,000 in cash.

Why the Irish route matters

The operation aims to stop abuse of the Common Travel Area (CTA), the long-standing arrangement that lets British and Irish citizens move freely between the two countries. Criminal networks exploit this open border to move people into the UK without permission.

Operation Comby runs alongside Operation Gull, which carries out routine deployments at Northern Irish ports and airports. Operation Gull has produced almost 1,000 arrests in the last year.

Case examples from the September action

At Belfast International Airport, officers arrested two Romanian women as illegal entrants. They had travelled from Ireland into Northern Ireland without the required permissions. Further checks identified them as possible victims of people trafficking, and officers gained intelligence on the criminals who pushed them into the journey. Authorities detained one woman for removal to Romania; the other returned voluntarily to Ireland.

In a second case, after intelligence sharing, Belfast Harbour Police stopped a vehicle at Belfast Port carrying four Romanian nationals. Searches uncovered £130,000 worth of counterfeit Apple products. Police arrested all four, who now face removal from the UK.

Official statements

Minister for Border Security and Asylum Anna Turley said: "We are bearing down on these organised criminal gangs who operate on wicked lies and deception. Individuals who think they can get round our laws will quickly find out that they will not be successful. This operation is a very clear example of Immigration Enforcement's round the clock work disrupt these criminal gangs and remove those with no right to be in the UK."

Eddy Montgomery, Director of Enforcement, Compliance and Crime, said: "As part of our wider crackdown on abuse of the Common Travel Area, Operation Comby is delivering an intelligence-led approach to disrupting Organised Immigration Crime, targeting criminal networks that exploit these routes. Immigration crime can take many forms, but at the heart of what we do is protecting vulnerable people and ensuring the criminal gangs who exploit them are brought down."

The wider enforcement picture

Between July 2024 and June 2026, Immigration Enforcement conducted almost 3,000 enforcement visits in Northern Ireland, resulting in over 2,400 arrests. Nearly 1,000 of those arrested have been returned, with almost 500 returned to Ireland.

The Home Secretary has announced plans to double the Immigration Enforcement budget by 2028/29 and increase workforce numbers by 60%. The government says this will mean tens of thousands more raids, arrests and removals of people with no right to remain in the UK.

Since the election, over 80,000 immigration offenders and foreign criminals have been removed from the UK, according to the Home Office.

Travellers who rely on the Common Travel Area should note that the arrangement itself remains unchanged: British and Irish citizens continue to move freely. Enforcement activity targets those who enter the UK without permission and the networks that facilitate them. Anyone affected by these measures should consult official Home Office guidance for details on entry requirements.