Bruges judge jails small boats people-trafficker, who headed international network

The defendant, who was jailed for 11 years, was first arrested by the UK’s National Crime Agency, the NCA.

The 30-year-old, originally from Iran, directed the network from his home in Ilford, east London, sourcing the boats in Turkey and having them delivered to locations in Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands.   He would then direct other members of his criminal organisation to take them on to the northern French coast, from where migrants would be transported to the UK.   The suspect was detained by NCA officers in London in May 2022, as part of a joint investigation involving the NCA and the Belgian authorities.   The investigation started following the seizure of a number of boats and outboard motors, found by Belgian police in the back of two cars near the Belgian-French border in October 2021.   Phone analysis showed the drivers had been in contact with a UK-based phone number, engaging in message conversations about boat movements and locations for delivery.   The NCA was able to attribute the number and identify a suspect, tracking him down to east London, where he was detained pending extradition.   The arrest triggered a Europe-wide operation to bring down other members of the network, which led to arrests in the UK, Germany, France and Netherlands in July 2022.   In Germany 60 inflatable boats and hundreds of life jackets, which would have been used by the gang, were seized.   Following surrender to the Belgian authorities, prosecutors here charged him with being engaged in systematic human smuggling using small boats, charging migrants thousands of euros to make the crossing.   On Wednesday a judge in Bruges found the defendant guilty and sentenced him to 11 years in prison.   Another 19 people were convicted alongside him and handed jail terms of between 30 months and eight years.