Over 30 arrests and £160,000 of assets seized in Northern Ireland people smuggler crackdown

A Home Office crackdown against people smuggling gangs and people exploiting the Common Travel Area (CTA) has led to the arrest of 33 people, and the seizure of £17,000 in suspected criminal assets and the detention of a heavy goods vehicle related to an unpaid Clandestine Entrants Civil Penalty worth £144,000. Officers also issued civil penalties to the value of more than £10,000.

As part of the Government's latest initiative to take down the criminal gangs exploiting UK borders, Home Office Immigration Enforcement teams executed a 3 day multi agency operation tackling abuse of the CTA, descending on ports and airports in:- Northern Ireland, North West England and Wales.

The operation, the 6th of its kind, saw collaborative working between the:- Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), An Garda Síochána, the National Crime Agency (NCA), other UK Police Forces, Border Force, along with other UK international partners to gather intelligence, trace offenders and take action against UK border breaches.

This operation builds on the success of previous enforcement activity in Northern Ireland by the Criminal and Financial Investigations team, part of Home Office Immigration Enforcement.

Since July 2024 over 60 arrests have been made and over £405,000 of criminal cash seized in the crackdown on abuse of the CTA, protecting migrants at risk of exploitation and disrupting criminality that threatens the public's safety.

This latest success comes alongside the announcement that nearly 30,000 people with no right to be here have been returned under this Government, including:- a 23% increase in enforced returns and a 14% increase in foreign criminals deported since the election.

It also follows a series of measures introduced by this Government to tackle organised immigration crime under the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, which will enable smarter, faster and more effective interventions to protect UK border security; and make it easier to detect, disrupt and deter those seeking to engage in and benefit from organised immigration crime.

Minister for Border Security and Asylum, Dame Angela Eagle said:- "This Government is using every tool at its disposal to take down the criminal gangs who exploit vulnerable people in order to make quick cash. We are breaking down the criminal networks at their root with enforcement visits and arrests up by 38%. The Government's Plan for Change will ensure that criminal networks who abuse our borders face the full force of the law, which is exactly why we have introduced the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill giving law enforcement new counter terror style powers to smash the people smuggling gangs. Alongside robust legislation at the heart of this mission, the Border Security Command is coordinating our efforts to reduce irregular migration by working alongside our international partners to restore order to our borders."

Home Office Immigration Enforcement Deputy Director Ben Thomas said:- "Our team alongside law enforcement agencies are dedicated to breaking down the business model of criminal gangs who put lives at risk every day, the strength of our partnership and success of this operation serves as evidence. Criminal networks seek to bypass robust border checks through fraudulent means and trap vulnerable people into further illegal activities. The success of this operation marks a significant step up in enforcement activity leading to the arrest of 33 criminals who attempted to abuse the Common Travel Area and undermine the UK's border security. I would like to thank my team and partners across the country for their around the clock dedication to root out the criminal gangs and bring them to justice, protecting those they exploit and the citizens of the UK."

Colourful new signs created in Southport Town Centre to promote superb events at Victoria Park in 2025

BEAUTIFUL new signs have appeared in Southport Town Centre promoting this year's Southport Flower Show, and the many great events happening at Victoria Park this year.

The colourful large posters on:- Lord Street and Eastbank Street, are thanks to Southport Flower Show, a local charity that organises the biggest independent flower show in the UK as well as managing the 34 acre Victoria Park without any public subsidy for the people of the Town to enjoy.

One side of the bright new artwork promotes this year's Show, which takes place from:- Thursday, 14 August to 17 August 2025.

The other celebrates some unmissable events coming up from the end of May onwards.

Southport Flower Show has collaborated on the artwork and design with local artist Emmy Oranges (Emmeline McLoughlin) and with local graphic designer Liam Jackson.

Banners promoting the events have also been placed on the railings alongside Victoria Park.

It's a long list! They include:-

• 30 May - 1 June - Southport Food and Drink Festival.
   

• 21 June - Summer Soiree Music Event.
   

• 12 July - Extreme BHP Car Show.
   

• 19 July - 'Conquer The Coast' Crossfit.
   

• 2 August to 3 August - Antiques Fair.
   

• 14  August to 17 August - Southport Flower Show.
   

• 14 September - Great British Motor Show.
   

• 27 September to 28 September - British Musical Fireworks Championship.
   

• 3 October to 19 October to Southport Comedy Festival.
   

• 24 -October to 25 October - Oktoberfest.
   

• 4 December to 4 January - Winter Ice Skating.

Southport Flower Show and Victoria Park Events General Manager Alan Adams said:- "I asked Liam and Emmy to create something not only to promote the park but to inform our visitors, and local residents, what's going on in our wonderful town. Social media is great to an extent, but posters and banners in visible high street locations such as Lord Street and Eastbank Street are still vital to help promote events. We've got a very busy year at the park this year resulting in more visitors to the town which will in turn boost the local visitor economy. We were delighted with Liam and Emmy's design which really encapsulates the atmosphere we are trying to create at Victoria Park. It's one of the North West's premier event spaces, but it's also a park where all the community can enjoy. Southport Flower Show is a registered charity which solely relies on profits from the flower show and other park bookings to organise the show and manage the 34-acre estate all year round."

Artist Emmy Oranges said:- "We really enjoyed creating the new design! We had actually planned to do something a lot more simple for this poster but wanted to really grab people's attention and showcase the amazing events the town has to offer. I started by working in my sketchbook, planning ideas and then working with Liam to come up with a layout for the text that I could work around. I picked a colour palette with the help of Victoria Park events (spring green was in there!) and set about illustrating some of the different events. I went for a night and day theme and hopefully this worked in conveying the variety of activities on offer. Then was the job of converting this to a banner format using the same components. "Overall we wanted it to be fresh, inviting and getting people's attention. I'm really pleased with how it came out and it was great working with another Southport creative, Liam, on this project."

Graphic designer Liam Jackson said:- "I moved back to Southport recently from London and I was really keen to work on this project. I have known Emmy for a long time, and I thought she was perfect for this, her art is amazing. We pitched ideas and Alan and Lisa said they loved the work we did to promote Victoria Park events. Alan and Lisa and the team feel they need to shout many more about the events happening at Victoria Park. There is a lot happening! The idea was to promote those amazing events they have there, with Emmy's amazing illustration bringing it to life with colour. It was my job to provide the typography and layout. It's really about trying to create something that is impactful on the high street that people will notice and to promote the superb things that families can enjoy at the park. It has been brilliant working with Alan and Lisa at Southport Flower Show."

This year's Southport Flower Show has a stellar line-up of special guests.

They include chil;dren's entertainer Justin Fletcher; Kelvin and Liz Fletcher from ITV's Fletchers' Family Farm; gardening experts David Domoney, Carole and George from Beechgrove Garden and Nick Bailey; TV chefs and presenters Rosemary Shrager, Phil Vickery and Cherish Finden; Zack George aka Steel from Gladiators; and more to be announced.

This year the Show is enhancing the children's activities at the show and will have a children's trail.

Don't forget; children under 16 go FREE with a paying adult.

Southport adults can also enjoy an impressive £11 off the price of a gate ticket.

People living in the:- PR8 and PR9 postcodes can pay for their tickets for just £19 each; a substantial saving on the £30 gate price once the event starts.

With Southport Flower Show once again running their generous offer of all children under 16 able to go free when accompanied by a paying adult, it represents a great saving for families this summer to enjoy the biggest independent flower show in the UK.

You can buy your discount tickets in advance from:-

• The Atkinson, Lord Street, Southport Town Centre.
   

• The Engine Room, Wayfarers Arcade, Lord Street, Southport Town Centre.
   

• Waterstones, Chapel Street, Southport.
   

• Southport Flower Show office, Victoria Park, Southport.
   

• Checkers DIY, Botanic Road, Churchtown Village .
   

• Lions shop, Liverpool Road, Ainsdale Village
   

• BusyBody's, Liverpool Road, Birkdale Village

Residents must be able to show proof of address. Tickets are available until Wednesday 13th August 2025.

From show-stopping gardens and celebrity chef demos to live arena entertainment, shopping galore, and fun for all the family; there's something for everyone at the:- Southport Flower Show, returning to:- Victoria Park, from:- 14 August to 17 August 2025.

For more details about Southport Flower Show visit:- SouthportFlowerShow.Co.UK.

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