Three members of a prolific people smuggling gang have been convicted after one of the members was arrested at South Mimms services.
Jalal Tarakhail, 24, of Eastwood Road, Ilford, was found guilty of one count of conspiring to facilitate illegal immigration.
He joins fellow gang members Najib Khan, 39, of Medici Close in Ilford, and Waqas Ikram, 41, of Beadles Parade, Rainham Road in Dagenham, who were both found guilty of three charges of conspiring to facilitate a breach of immigration law.
Ikram was detained during an National Crime Agency operation at South Mimms services on March 30, 2021, after he was caught red-handed attempting to break into an HGV to put four migrants inside, unbeknownst to the driver.
At the time of his arrest, Ikram was working for a people smuggling organised crime group headed by Mokter Hossain, who was later jailed for more than 10 years as part of the NCA’s Operation Symbolry.
An iPhone belonging to Ikram which was seized following his arrest contained numerous conversations with Khan and Tarakhail, outlining their involvement in a separate criminal network, charging migrants up to £7,000 to bring them to the UK.
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Evidence showed the trio had been involved in a number of crossings via lorry in 2019, while Ikram and Khan had purchased a rigid hull inflatable boat to smuggling migrants across the Channel to the UK.
Drivers and a transport manager involved in two early unsuccessful attempts - involving a total of 32 migrants - were jailed in the Netherlands and France, with the NCA able to prove that the crime gang had been involved in both attempts.
They also found that GPS trackers were being used to follow lorries that had been broken into without the drivers’ knowledge.
Messages also revealed that Tarakhail was involved in the construction of a concealment that hid 16 migrants within the rear of a truck, all of whom were safeguarded after being found at the Hook of Holland port.
He was also involved in organising a concealment in a lorry that was later found to have 16 migrants inside, 11 of whom were children, en route to Newhaven.
Ikram was arrested by the NCA for his role in Operation Symbolry in 2021, and charged with people smuggling offences before being released on bail by the court.
Both he and Khan were detained in connection with further offences in July 2022, and charged with three counts of conspiring to facilitate illegal immigration.
Ikram pleaded guilty to the charge, but Khan went to trial and was subsequently found guilty.
Tarakhail was arrested in August 2023 at London Gatwick, after travelling back to the UK from Dubai. Following a four-week trial, he was convicted of one count of conspiring to facilitate illegal immigration.
"These individuals treated humans as a commodity and had no regard for the safety or wellbeing of those they were transporting," said NCA lead investigating officer Robert Macleod.
"Originally focussed on HGVs, Ikram and Khan switched their attention to small boats – showing clear intentions to continue their illegal work, maximise their profits and risk the lives of many more people.
"The dangers these types of organised crime groups pose is clear, which is why they are a focus for the NCA.
"We work tirelessly with partners in the UK and overseas to disrupt and dismantle the networks involved in people smuggling, pursuing every avenue available to save lives, and are glad that today’s result brought about justice in this case."
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