More on KentOnline
More on KentOnline
Four men have been charged with people smuggling offences.
They were arrested close to the A2 Cobham services near Gravesend on Friday as part of an investigation by the National Crime Agency.
Two Albanian brothers, Arben Cakici, 48, and Astrit Cakici, 37, from Barking and Newham, who were living illegally in the UK, have been charged with facilitating illegal entry into the UK and possessing a firearm.
Arben Cakici also faces a charge for carrying a knife.
The arrests were made at 8am after witnesses saw four people being taken out of a lorry and put into two cars.
Two Romanian lorry drivers - Ionut Colibei, 34, and Valerica Prutearu, 41, - have also been charged with facilitating illegal entry into the UK with Colibei additionally charged for being in possession of a knife.
The four men will appear at a virtual court tomorrow (Monday).
Following the arrests, searches in Newham on Friday also led to a further arrest of a 45-year old man from Albania, wanted for unrelated offences of common assault and breach of bail conditions.
Four Albanians, aged between 20 to 35, are now being dealt with by Immigration Enforcement.
Update: all four have been remanded in custody to appear at Maidstone Crown Court on November 16.
For information on how we can report on court proceedings, click here.
To get the latest updates in ongoing cases, police appeals and criminals put behind bars, click here
