Pilot is arrested for people smuggling

A pilot was held today on suspicion of smuggling Turkish illegal immigrants into Britain on his aircraft.

Detectives arrested him after he was pursued by a police helicopter. Eight Turkish passengers and four other men were held.

His six-seater Piper Cherokee landed at Lamberhurst air strip in Kent at about 8am with four passengers.

They were driven to a Turkish restaurant in London where they were met another man.

Meanwhile, the pilot, who is from Camberley, had flown across the Channel. He brought four more suspected illegal immigrants to Lamberhurst two hours later. They were met by a driver.

When the pilot took off again he was pursued by a police helicopter and arrested at Headcorn air strip in Kent.

DCI Alex Wood of the National Crime Squad said: "We believe the pilot was paid over ?4,000 each trip. He may have carried out 10 such trips."