By bnm Gulf bureau Three men suspected of running a major people smuggling network from Iraq’s Kurdistan region to Britain and Europe have been arrested in a joint operation between British and Iraqi security forces,

They have alleged links to the same network as Amanj Hasan Zada, who was jailed for 17 years, the National Crime Agency said.

Alleged accomplices of Amanj Hassan Zada, who described himself as the "best smuggler" were detained in a "landmark operation" in Kurdistan, the National Crime Agency said.

Three suspected people smugglers have been arrested in Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdish region in a ground-breaking operation involving officers from the UK’s National Crime Agency. It is the first time that the NCA has worked alongside the internal security agencies in Kurdistan,

The three men were linked to the same network as Amanj Hassan Zada, a Preston based smuggler who was jailed for 17 years