A British newspaper, The Telegraph, reported that the Islamic Republic uses human smuggling networks to transfer personnel affiliated with its intelligence institutions to the United Kingdom.

Based on this report, British officials identified and stopped a number of individuals linked to the Islamic Republic’s intelligence institutions as they attempted to enter the country by means of small boats in the English Channel.

The Telegraph, citing human smugglers and Iranian officials, wrote that parts of the smuggling routes between the Middle East and the English Channel are in the hands of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and that these networks are used to transfer people known as “revolutionary forces” to the UK.

The UK Home Office said that people deemed a threat to national security will be detained and expelled from the country at the earliest opportunity.