BRITAIN: British police hunting the killer of a boy whose torso was found in the Thames said last night they had broken up the gang suspected of smuggling the African child into the UK.
More than 200 officers raided nine London addresses and arrested 21 people suspected of people trafficking and immigration offences early yesterday morning.
The move could take police a step closer to finding the murderer of the unknown boy, called Adam, whose mutilated torso was found floating near Tower Bridge in London in September 2001.
The boy, aged between four and seven, was believed to have been the victim of a ritualistic sacrifice after being smuggled from Nigeria via Europe.
Cmdr Andy Baker, of Scotland Yard, said there was a "very strong link" between those arrested yesterday and Adam and some were also associated with two people previously arrested in Ireland and Scotland.
Det Insp Will O'Reilly, who leads the Adam inquiry, said: "We are pretty confident that we have a group of individuals who would have trafficked Adam into the country but our inquiries are still at a very, very early stage."
However police refused to discuss whether the group, mostly Nigerians, may potentially contain Adam's killer or whether the child would have been passed on to another party.
Adam is believed to have come from the Benin City area of south-west Nigeria, the same place as many of those arrested, police said.
Earlier this month, Nigerian Mr Sam Onojhighovie (37) was questioned by police in Dublin in connection with Adam's death and officers believe he could be the boy's natural father. He is facing extradition to Germany, where he has already been convicted in his absence and sentenced to seven years for offences linked to human trafficking.
Orange shorts found on Adam's torso can only be bought at Woolworths in Germany. Mr Onojhighovie is thought to be the estranged husband of Ms Joyce Osagiede, who was arrested in connection with the murder a year ago in Glasgow, but was not charged and later returned to Nigeria.
Those arrested in yesterday's operation will be DNA tested to see if there is any family link with Adam, police said.
Det Insp O'Reilly said some "interesting substances" were recovered, including soils and clay as well as an animal skull with a nail through it.
It was of particular interest because Adam was found with a substance including ground-down bone in his stomach. - (PA)