A man has been arrested in northern Lincolnshire suspected of trying to smuggle migrants across the English Channel.

He is one of 23 who were taken into custody as Immigration Enforcements criminal and financial investigations team and the National Crime Agency (NCA) work together amid the ongoing migrant crisis.

Eleven of the arrests were in connection with Channel crossings in small boats, the Home Office said.

The other 12 were arrested in northern France following intelligence from Border Force, the BBC reports.

The 33-year-old British man was arrested in Middle Rasen three days after the arrests of a 49-year-old Iraqi man in Holwell, Hertfordshire, and a 60-year-old British man in Biggleswade, Bedfordshire on September 16.

Meanwhile, a 35-year-old Iranian man was arrested in Cardiff on September 21.

All four were arrested on suspicion of facilitating a breach of the UKs immigration rules in relation to small boat incidents. They have since been released as investigations continue.

Border Force rescued a second group ofmigrantsover the weekend.

Six Iranian men were found in a boat near Dover at around 8.30am on Sunday, the Home Office said.

It followed an incident the day before in which eightmigrantswere intercepted.

The group, who said they were Afghan and Iranian, were found in a small boat near St Margaret's Bay, Kent, at around 12pm on Saturday.

Both groups were medically checked assessed before being handed over to immigration officials.

Charities previously warned the latest round of migrant camp evictions by French police in Calais and Dunkirk over the last fortnight would prompt more attempted Channel crossings.

The NCA made the seven other arrests related to small boat activity between September 11 and 20.

The other 12 people were arrested in France on suspicion of facilitating illegal entry into the UK in motor vehicles.

The Home Office says more than 80 people who came to the UK illegally on boats have been returned to Europe.

The arrests come after Home Secretary Priti Patel and French interior minister Christophe Castaner met in Paris last month to agree urgent action to halt the crisis.

So far no more detail on the action plan has been released.

The Home Office said more information would be provided "in due course".

Border Force says it is regularly patrolling the Channel while CCTV and night goggles are being used along the French coast.

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Man arrested in northern Lincolnshire suspected of trying to smuggle migrants across Channel - Grimsby Live