London: British police have smashed a Midland-based gang indulging in smuggling of illegal Indian immigrants from the UK to the United States, with the arrest of nine persons.

"We have successfully dismantled an organised criminal enterprise involved in smuggling Indian nationals, including children, from the UK to the USA, having previously entered the country illegally," Assistant Chief Constable Jon Murphy said.

The arrested persons, in the age group of 22 to 63, were being questioned, he said.

The gang was charging up to 20,000 pounds for each illegal immigrant to be escorted to the US by British nationals with bonafide passports, Murphy said.

He said members of the gang used Heathrow and Gatwick airports to fly the illegal immigrants, who had photo-substitute British passports, over to America.

"A British national traveling on his own legitimate passport would escort them and they were paying up to 20,000 pounds for successful entry," he said, adding the raids involved 200 police officers.

The gang members, living in London, Hove and Harrow, were otherwise engaged in small businesses, Murphy said.