The National Crime Agency (NCA) of Britain announced that he had arrested one Egyptian who is suspected of coordinating it trafficking of thousands of people from North Africa through the Mediterranean to Italy.

The Service says it believes the 40-year-old Egyptian, who is being held in London, is cooperating with trafficking networks in north Africa for organizing the boarding of migrants on boats and then for communications with accomplices during the crossing.

The National Criminal Service, which works with the Italian Guardia di Finanza (the Italian anti-financial crime and anti-trafficking agency), reported specific incidents.

One concerns the rescue of 640 migrants last October by Italian authorities who were on board a wooden boat that had set sail from Libya.

The announcement also refers to the rescue by the Italian coast guard last December of 265 migrants aboard a fishing boat found unmanned in the Mediterranean that had sailed from Libya and to two search and rescue operations in April following calls for help, when the Italian coast guard found 600 migrants on two boats.

“We suspect this man is running his business from the UK organizing the trafficking of thousands of migrants,” Darren Barr, a senior NCA official, said in the statement.

“The type of vessels that organized crime groups use to cross are death traps…We will continue to share information and take action with partners to intercept vessels and apprehend traffickers here and abroad.”