Two men have been arrested in Britain on suspicion of people-smuggling using converted horseboxes.
The pair, aged 50 and 28, were held during separate raids before being released after questioning, said the UK’s National Crime Agency.
The agency believes special compartments were built inside horseboxes to hide people and drugs to bring into the UK. The group is also suspected of using lorries.
The older man was arrested in Gravesend, south-east England, on Tuesday while the second man was held on Wednesday in Oswestry, Shropshire, close to the border with Wales.
Lydia Bloomfield, of the NCA, said: “Our investigation is focused on an organised crime group that we suspect has been smuggling both people and drugs into the UK by using concealments in horseboxes and heavy goods vehicles.
“Tackling people smuggling remains a priority for the NCA, and we are currently leading more than 60 investigations into organised immigration crime. These investigations involve some of the highest harm, highest threat crime groups.”
Criminals have previously used horseboxes to smuggle drugs into the UK, with Dutchman Marinus Van Gerwen jailed for 17 years in 2018.
Officers at Dover docks on the UK’s south-east coast found 51 blocks of cocaine hidden inside the wall of the horsebox. They had an estimated street value of nearly £4 million ($4.99m). Van Gerwen was also carrying two horses as a cover for the smuggling operation.
Can NRIs vote in the election?
Indians residing overseas cannot cast their ballot abroad
Non-resident Indians or NRIs can vote only by going to a polling booth in their home constituency
There are about 3.1 million NRIs living overseas
Indians have urged political parties to extend the right to vote to citizens residing overseas
A committee of the Election Commission of India approved of proxy voting for non-resident Indians
Proxy voting means that a person can authorise someone residing in the same polling booth area to cast a vote on his behalf.
This option is currently available for the armed forces, police and government officials posted outside India
A bill was passed in the lower house of India’s parliament or the Lok Sabha to extend proxy voting to non-resident Indians
However, this did not come before the upper house or Rajya Sabha and has lapsed
The issue of NRI voting draws a huge amount of interest in India and overseas
Over the past few months, Indians have received messages on mobile phones and on social media claiming that NRIs can cast their votes online
The Election Commission of India then clarified that NRIs could not vote online
The Election Commission lodged a complaint with the Delhi Police asking it to clamp down on the people spreading misinformation
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Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
