Police in Spain say they have broken up a large immigration ring that smuggled Iranians as young as five into the UK.
The gang allegedly supplied fake Spanish passports to Iranian nationals so they could fly into the UK.
More than 100 people were arrested across Europe, including the suspected ringleader, who was apprehended at London’s Heathrow airport.
The operation involved Spain’s federal police, London’s Metropolitan Police, and European crime agency Europol.
Europol said the group, operating from Malaga in the south of Spain, charged the migrants about €25,000 (£22,500) each for fake Spanish passports, travel documents, transfers and accommodation.
Spanish police said the criminal organisation was 15 people-strong, all of whom had been detained. All were arrested in Malaga, police said, except for the suspected ringleader at Heathrow — who was trying to flee to Brazil. He was detained on a European arrest warrant.