Suspected folks smuggling kingpin arrested in UK | UK | News | EUROtoday

A suspected folks smuggling kingpin has been arrested in Birmingham as a part of a joint investigation involving the National Crime Agency and West Midlands Police.  The main investigation is targeted on a suspected felony community concerned in smuggling migrants each into and out of the UK at the back of lorries.

Zahid Khan, 51,  was detained by officers at an handle within the Sheldon Heath Road space of the town in a raid on Tuesday, 10 February. After being questioned by NCA investigators he was charged with facilitating unlawful immigration and cash laundering offences. Khan will seem earlier than Birmingham Magistrates on Thursday. A second man, aged 44, arrested on the identical time and site on suspicion of facilitating unlawful immigration, has been bailed pending additional enquiries. However, he’ll stay in custody as he’s needed for failing to look at courtroom in relation to separate, unconnected, offences.

The operation adopted the interception of a lorry carrying 33 migrants of Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi nationality, stopped by the NCA in Dover on 4 February.

The lorry was about to go away the UK on a ferry to France, and the motive force was arrested.

NCA Branch Operations Manager Paul Jones stated: “These arrests were made as part of an ongoing investigation into a people smuggling network suspected of using HGVs to transport migrants in both directions across the Channel.

“This activity both risks the safety of those being transported, and presents a threat to our border security.

“Targeting, disrupting and dismantling gangs involved in organised immigration crime remains a priority for the NCA and our partners.”

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