“For this, she would arrange payments of hundreds of euros per person.

“Kurmekaj had little interest in the safety and security of the people she was arranging crossings for, only that she and her employers received payment.

“Disrupting and dismantling organised crime groups responsible for people smuggling is a priority for the NCA and we’ll continue to target offenders involved at every step of the journey.”

Last year 45,755 migrants crossed the Channel, up 60 per cent since 2021 when the figure was 28,526 and the highest number since figures began to be collected in 2018.

Since then, 100,000 people have come to the UK this way.