KENT police, working in conjunction with officers from Germany, have raided a number of addresses as part of a probe into the smuggling of illegal immigrants into Dover from the Indian subcontinent.

The swoops were carried out in east London. A 37-year-old man from Gujarat in India was arrested.

He is being questioned at a police station in Kent on suspicion of facilitating illegal immigration into the United Kingdom.

Det Insp Roy Cottam, of Kent Police, said: "This arrest is the culmination of a long operation during which we worked closely with colleagues from the German police identifying the routes and methods used by traffickers."

More than 30 officers were involved in this morning's raids. A number of search warrants were executed in connection with the investigation.