The UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) has rescued 23 Bangladeshi nationals who were being smuggled from London to France inside a lorry, exposing a large organised human trafficking network based in east London’s Tower Hamlets. According to a report by the BBC on Wednesday, the rescue took place during a special NCA operation near the Port of Dover. During the operation, officers searched a lorry and found the Bangladeshis concealed inside. NCA officials said that 22 of the rescued individuals were legally residing in the UK but attempted the dangerous journey to bypass France’s strict entry requirements. The operation led to the arrest of a 43-year-old man from New Cross, believed to be the ringleader of the trafficking network.

Source: Dhaka Tribune January 29, 2026 06:28 UTC