Today’s Home Office-related coverage includes reports of the disruption of a major people smuggling operation, border security and police driving rules.
People smuggling
The Times, Daily Mail, Sun and Daily Star carry coverage of arrests made in relation to a major people smuggling gang operating out of Spain. The papers report that law enforcement agencies disrupted a gang who were involved in smuggling Iranian nationals into the UK. Immigration Enforcement were involved in the Europol operation and our response can be found below.
A Home Office spokesperson said:
Immigration Enforcement has supported Spanish authorities in an operation targeting a suspected people smuggling ring.
A number of arrests have been made in Spain as well as one at Heathrow Airport.
As the investigation is ongoing, it would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage.
Police driving
The Guardian reports on comments made by shadow policing minister Louise Haigh, who has said that the police cannot properly pursue moped-riding criminals because they risk being prosecuted for dangerous driving. The Home Office response to this story is below.
A Home Office spokesperson said:
All emergency services, including the police, are exempt from speed limit, traffic light and sign violations when undertaking an emergency service response.
However, they remain subject to the general law on motoring in the same way as members of the public – including the law on careless and dangerous driving.
Decisions on the management of pursuits and response driving are an operational matter for forces.