A 44-year-old Turkish national was arrested at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam, suspected of supplying boats for people smugglers operating in the English Channel.

This arrest is part of a broader effort to combat the crisis of dangerous small boat crossings in the Channel, which have seen over 32,000 individuals attempt the perilous journey in 2024 alone.

NCA Director Rob Jones indicated that the arrested individual is believed to be a significant supplier of the dangerous boats and engines used in these crossings, which have resulted in at least 58 fatalities this year.

The arrest follows a coordinated investigation led by the UK National Crime Agency (NCA), in collaboration with Dutch and Belgian authorities, and is part of ongoing efforts to dismantle major trafficking networks.

In response to the ongoing crisis, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced an additional £75 million in funding to enhance policing at UK borders, pledging to treat people smugglers as terrorists.

Starmer described the arrest as a 'significant piece of the jigsaw' in addressing the Channel migrant crisis, while emphasizing that it is not a complete solution and further actions are necessary.

He also criticized the previous government's focus on the Rwanda asylum plan, arguing that it distracted from effectively tackling human trafficking operations.

Home Office insiders have suggested that future strategies may need to incorporate deterrents or safe routes for asylum seekers to effectively reduce the number of crossings.

International cooperation is deemed essential in the fight against human smuggling, as highlighted by the public prosecutor's office of West-Flanders.

The Dutch prosecutor and the Federal Judicial Police of West Flanders have requested the extradition of the suspect to face human trafficking charges.

Currently, the NCA is managing around 70 investigations into organized immigration crime and human trafficking, underscoring the scale of the challenge.

Starmer's approach shifts the narrative from slogans like 'stop the boats' to a more focused strategy of 'smash the gangs' to combat human smuggling effectively.