A 45-year-old man has been remanded in custody after being arrested on suspicion of smuggling hundreds of people by boats and lorries into the UK.
Ali Omar Karim was arrested in Portsmouth on Wednesday after an investigation by the National Crime Agency (NCA) into a Kurdish organised crime group.
He appeared at Portsmouth Magistrates’ Court charged with people smuggling and money laundering and was remanded in custody to appear at the city’s crown court on April 15, according to the NCA.
A spokesman said: “A man arrested during an operation by the National Crime Agency in Portsmouth yesterday (March 13) has been charged with people smuggling and money laundering offences.
“Ali Omar Karim was last night remanded in custody to appear before Portsmouth magistrates.
“He was arrested as part of an NCA investigation into a Kurdish organised crime group involved in smuggling people to the UK in boats and HGVs.
“A second man arrested as part of the same investigation in Italy last month remains in custody as extradition proceedings continue.”
