Two men, including one from Woodford Green, have been charged with conspiring to facilitate illegal immigration following a National Crime Agency (NCA) investigation into people smuggling.
Mohammed Mokter Hossain, 52, of Gaynes Hill Road, Woodford Green, and Noor Ullah, 28, of Church Lane, Leytonstone, were arrested during a series of NCA raids across east London on Wednesday, May 19.
Five other men detained at the same time, all licensed minicab drivers, have been released under investigation, as has a sixth taxi driver arrested separately in Bromley-by-Bow.
Hossain and Ullah are due to appear before Barkingside Magistrates today (May 21).
The arrests were part of an investigation codenamed Operation Symbolry, into a suspected network of lorries being used to smuggle people into and out of the UK.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here