Eight people are appearing in court after police smashed an alleged people-smuggling ring suspected of bringing illegal migrants into the UK.
Officers made arrests as they raided addresses across London and one in Kidderminster, Worcestershire, earlier this week.
It is alleged that the defendants were involved with a gang of Turkish people smugglers who specialised in trafficking Chinese nationals.
The eight people have been charged with conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration into the UK and will appear at London's City of Westminster Magistrates' Court.
They are Kazim Karakus, 45, of Leytonstone, east London; Halil Karakus, 27, of Edmonton, north London; Zeynel Yazici, 49, of Enfield, north London; Musa Herman, 48, of Holloway, north London; Kienan Giltas, 40, of Enfield; Mustafa Gunduz, 48, of Finsbury Park, north London; a 15-year-old girl from Peckham, south London; and John Ashcroft, 59, of Chester Road, Kidderminster.
Police have also charged Yakup Aslan, 36, of no fixed address, with conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration into the UK, to appear at a court and on a date to be arranged.
