Man arrested in Essex is linked to a gang smuggling migrants to the UK via small boats. Europe wide operation.
Abdul Safi was caught in Braintree, Essex. Samiullah Ahmadzai got arrested in Leicester. Amir Achmendzei was arrested in Birmingham. Shirmal Akhundzadeh got arrested in Leicester. They will appear in court soon.
Zubar Jenikhel also got arrested in Birmingham. Sahil Ahmadzai got arrested in Croydon. They appeared in court yesterday. Belgian courts issued warrants for the arrests.
The men moved migrants from Afghanistan through Iran, Turkey, and the Balkans. The final destinations were France and Belgium. This crime ring operated since 2022.
They used social media to talk to migrants. If Belgium rejected migrants’ asylum claims, they went to the UK by small boats. This gang moved many people illegally.
The National Crime Agency aided the Belgian investigation by sharing information about suspected members. The men will be extradited.
Officials say the gang moved migrants globally, through Europe, to the UK. Police will keep disrupting these criminal networks and will work with other countries.
The goal is to bring criminals to justice. The government wants to stop these criminals and are teaming up with foreign partners.
This fight aims to save lives and change the system. Last December, police caught three more men in the UK who did similar crimes in a separate case. Police will check on migrants and any victims in the UK.