Yacht carrying suspected illegal migrants intercepted off Isle of Wight coast
The boat had travelled from northern France and was picked up off the coast of the Isle of Wight and escorted into Gosport Marina in Hampshire by a Border Force cutter on Sunday 20 July.
It was part of an operation led by the National Crime Agency (NCA).
The crew of the vessel, Ukrainian nationals aged 43 and 37, were arrested on suspicion of facilitating illegal immigration.
Five passengers, four Albanian nationals and a Vietnamese national, were arrested for immigration offences.
All seven are now being questioned by NCA investigators.
NCA Senior Investigating Officer, Julian Harriman, said: "This operation was part of an ongoing NCA investigation led jointly with French judicial authorities and Gendarmerie Nationale, which has been supported by Border Force.
"Those arrested remain in custody.
"Tackling people smuggling gangs remains a priority for both France and the United Kingdom and we are determined to do all we can to target, disrupt and dismantle the criminal networks involved."
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Mohammed Tetwani, the head of the 'Tetwani' gang and self-styled 'King' of Horgos in Serbia. Yassine Al Maghribi Al-Kasaoui, the boss of the 'Kazawi' gang. Balkan gangs supplying fake passports Kavač Gang, a Balkan organised crime organisation known to use fake passports to smuggle its gang members between the Balkans and Turkey. Škaljari Gang, an organised crime organisation in Montenegro that smuggles criminals between the Balkans and Turkey. Dalibor Ćurlik, procures fake passports and forged documents for use in the Kavač gang's people-smuggling. Almir Jahović, member of the Kavač gang, which is involved in supplying fake passports for smuggling gang members across borders Marko Petrović, a member of the Kavač gang which sources false identification and passports for use in people-smuggling. Nikola Vein helps the Škaljari Gang secure fake passports and travel documents for use in people-smuggling. Ratko Živković, a Škaljari Gang associate, which gathers fake passports for the purpose of smuggling gang members across borders. Dejan Pavlović, a member or close associate of the Škaljari Gang, which supports the manufacture of false identities and passports. The following company based in China has been designated over the manufacture of inflatable boats being advertised for people-smuggling. Weihai Yamar Outdoors Product Co
