3 arrested over alleged immigrant smuggling through Dublin airport

Three men, including two Aer Lingus employees, have been arrested over alleged immigrant smuggling through Dublin airport, Irish police said on Monday.

Meanwhile, Aer Lingus, Ireland's national flag carrier airline, said it was cooperating fully with police in their investigation.

The three men, aged 61, 56, and 28 years, were arrested at the airport on Sunday night and are being detained separately at two police stations.

Police said the immigrant smuggling network had been running for years and it was possible that up to 100 illegal immigrants a year were smuggled through Dublin airport.

According to Ireland's public broadcaster RTE, a so-called travel agency, based in Rome, is suspected of having been involved in helping bring illegal immigrants from Asia to Dublin.

When the illegal immigrants arrived at Dublin airport, they were met by someone who escorted them to a secure area and gave them uniforms or high visibility jackets to disguise them as Aer Lingus employees, RTE said.

They were then put in cars and trucks that had security clearance and driven from the airport to a safe house in the city, it said. Endit