Twelve people were arrested and £56,000 seized during a multi-agency operation targeting organised immigration crime across Cumbria.
Officers also spoke to more than 80 people and seized five cars as part of the latest move to disrupt any attempts to carry out this type of criminality in the county.
Cannabis, prescription medication and 95,000 suspected counterfeit cigarettes were also confiscated.
The operation, spanning a week, was carried out by Cumbria Police, with support from Immigration Enforcement, Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service, local authority trading standards and HM Revenue and Customs.
They were acting in a joint move because organised immigration crime has been recognised as a high priority nationally.
It can involve the illegal entry or exit of people to and from the UK. Those staying in the UK illegally may be exploited themselves.
Policing nationally is intent on tackling the gangs behind these crimes by disrupting their activity.
Detective Inspector Sam Johnson said: “Transport networks provide opportunities for criminal groups to move people, assets and commodities.
“By disrupting organised criminal use of the roads, we are aiming to protect people and make it harder for organised crime groups to operate.
“Organised immigration crime involves more than some of the high-profile issues seen nationally. It involves the use of fraudulent documents and people who are brought into the country being in debt to those carrying out the smuggling.
“It enables other serious criminality and leads to vulnerable people being exploited.
“This is not a one-off enforcement. Intelligence and evidence gathered will feed into investigations and activity throughout the year.
“The week of action saw us enhance our operations in a move to disrupt criminality even further.”
Stops were carried out thoughout Cumbria, with arrests made at locations including the Appleby and Penrith areas, Bowness on Windermere and near Kendal. Officers also dealt with any other offences they came across during the operation.
Det Insp Johnson added: “Organised immigration crime is a complex and evolving challenge to policing across the UK
“Policing is intent on working with partner and other law enforcement agencies to tackle the gangs behind these crimes by various methods.
“Among the tactics available to us are operations such as this, where we have gone out to disrupt any illegal activity and send a message to those involved.
“Our officers draw on the help of partners in Cumbria and across the UK – but we need the help of communities to identify and tackle this, or any, type of criminality.
"Information from the public remains one of the most effective ways of identifying organised criminality. If something doesn't look right, we want to hear from you."
Suspects were arrested on suspicion of various offences, such as illegal entry, assisting unlawful immigration, drugs offences and money laundering.
Of those arrested, three were left in the care of Immigration Enforcement; two were cautioned; four bailed and three released under investigation.
Cumbria’s Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, David Allen, said: “I’m pleased to see Cumbria Police and partners working together to tackling organised immigration crime.
“Cumbria is a gateway to several other counties and Scotland, so it is a key route for criminals looking to move counterfeit good and even people who have been brought to the country illegally.
“It is important that we can stop criminals before they reach their destination where they intend to commit their crime.
“Some of those who have been brought into the country illegal are victims themselves.
“Victims of organised immigration crime are incredibly vulnerable, looking for a better future – that hope is taken advantage of by these criminals.
“I’d urge everyone to learn the signs of organised immigration crime and to report any suspicious activity to the police on 101 or 999 in an emergency.”
Spotting the signs of potential organised immigration crime victims:
- No access to ID documents.
- Being paid less than the minimum wage.
- Transported to and from work in vans, often in groups.
- Being picked up and dropped off at work at unusual times.
- Working very long hours.
- Poor accommodation or overcrowding.
- No formal contract of employment.
- Inadequate work equipment.
- Often accompanied or chaperoned.
- Being spoken for.
- May not know their own address.
- Poor language skills.
How to report:
- Reporting can help protect people and catch those responsible.
- If you see something that doesn’t look right, if you are worried about someone, or something looks suspicious, please report to police.
- In an emergency, please call 999 and in non-emergency situations, call 101.