LARGE numbers of people smugglers, including kingpins wanted across Europe, have been caught in the UK.
Many of the fugitives came to the UK illegally and claimed asylum before going on to set up their evil networks, a Sunday Express investigation found. At least 20 suspects, wanted for people smuggling across Continental borders, mainly into the UK, are awaiting extradition to the European nations. Others have recently been extradited for similar offences.
Home Secretary Priti Patel has vowed to dismantle networks bringing people illegally into the UK as the Channel migrants crisis grows with 11 boats carrying 164 people arriving on Wednesday.

A further 41 migrants were rescued from four boats and returned to France after they got into difficulty soon after leaving.

The dangers were exposed on Wednesday when Sudanese migrant Abdulfatah Hamdallah, 28, who attempted the crossing in a tiny dinghy, was found drowned on the French coast. Last October 39 Vietnamese people died in a locked refrigerated container which was brought across the channel on a freight ship.

As the Home Office and National Crime Agency (NCA) seek to track down and disrupt the gangs, our probe shows many major players live in the UK.

Countries including France, Belgium, Germany, The Netherlands, Hungary, Slovakia and Albania have all sought traffickers hiding in the UK this year.