Diaspora (Commonwealth Union) _ A group of British Asian men has been found guilty of participating in an organized crime network linked to a prolific people smuggling operation in the UK. Najib Khan, aged 38, was identified as a member of this network by the National Crime Agency (NCA) and was convicted of three counts of conspiring to facilitate illegal immigration after a trial at Reading Crown Court.
The investigation began with the arrest of Waqas Ikram, aged 40, who had already pleaded guilty to the charges. Ikram was working for a people-smuggling gang led by Mohammed Mokter Hossain, who was later sentenced to more than 10 years in prison for transporting migrants in lorries across the English Channel, as part of Operation Symbolry, an NCA investigation.
The NCA stated that Ikram and Khan showed no concern for the safety and security of the migrants they were transporting, focusing solely on profiting from their actions. The migrants were charged up to GBP 7,000 each for their illegal transportation to the UK.
Evidence retrieved from Ikram’s seized iPhone revealed conversations with Khan, detailing their involvement in another people smuggling network. The pair had successfully facilitated the crossing of five migrants in March 2019 and attempted two other crossings, which were foiled by border agents.
In one instance, 15 Vietnamese and one Afghan migrant were found in a lorry at the Hook of Holland, intending to board a ferry to Harwich, England. In another incident, 16 migrants, including 11 minors, were rescued from a lorry filled with 2,000 loose tires, attempting to board a ferry from Dieppe, France, to Newhaven, England.
Further investigations revealed that Khan and Ikram were using GPS trackers to follow lorries they had arranged to be broken into, allowing them to stow migrants inside without the drivers’ knowledge.
In 2020, Khan and Ikram acquired a rigid hull inflatable boat (RHIB) for the purpose of smuggling migrants. They attended a course on piloting powerboats, and in July of that year, they were encountered by the UK Border Force off the coast of Suffolk in their RHIB. The pair claimed to be scouting for scuba diving sites, but officers later found evidence linking them to people smuggling. Both Khan and Ikram will be sentenced in October. The NCA expressed its determination to combat people smuggling and dismantle organized crime groups involved in such activities.
