A van driver has been found guilty of smuggling seven migrants who were discovered screaming for help from a hidden compartment in his vehicle as they were starved of oxygen during a ferry crossing from France to the UK.
Anas Al Mustafa, 43, was convicted of assisting unlawful migration after a jury at Lewes Crown Court heard how the migrants, who were packed into a specially adapted van, were discovered in a life-threatening condition on the ferry from Dieppe to Newhaven, East Sussex, on February 16.
The discovery sparked a major emergency response at the East Sussex port, with ambulances, police, and Border Force officers rushing to the scene.
Prosecutors revealed that the six men and one woman were found crammed into a concealed space in the van that was barely “the width of a human chest.” The migrants were suffering from dehydration and a severe lack of oxygen as the hidden compartment, which was approximately two meters wide and 194cm tall, was only 37cm in width, forcing the occupants to stand upright with no room to move.
During the ferry journey, crew members on the Seven Sisters ship heard desperate pleas for help coming from inside the van. Using an axe, they broke down the fake partition to free the trapped migrants.
Prosecutor Nick Corsellis KC described the situation as highly dangerous, saying, “The heat created by seven people in such a small space and the lack of sufficient air/oxygen had created a highly dangerous situation. It was no doubt this mortal emergency that forced the migrants to call for help in desperation.”
By the time they were rescued at around 9:20 am, two of the migrants had lost consciousness. All seven were immediately taken to the hospital for treatment.
Australian nurse and ferry passenger Sari Gehle was among those who assisted the crew during the incident. She described one female migrant as “terrified,” repeatedly saying, “Vietnam, Vietnam,” indicating that the group originated from there. Other male migrants were found on the floor, with one vomiting and another suffering from a cut on his left shoulder. The group was given oxygen masks to stabilize their condition.
Throughout the trial, Al Mustafa, originally from Syria but living in Swansea, denied knowing the migrants were hidden in his vehicle. He claimed to be “shocked” and “completely numb” upon discovering them, describing it as the “most difficult day of his life.”
Al Mustafa testified that he had been asked by a man named Badr, whom he met in Syria, to drive the van to the UK. Although he had previously been paid £500 for a similar job, he admitted he was offered £5,000 for this journey, which made him suspicious that there could be people hidden inside.
Prosecutors argued that Al Mustafa’s statements during a police interview suggested that he was aware of the migrants in the van. However, Al Mustafa later told the court that the amount he mentioned was a mistake and that he had no knowledge of the hidden passengers.
Al Mustafa, a self-employed construction worker, is set to be sentenced on September 6. His conviction underscores the ongoing dangers and tragedies associated with human smuggling and the desperate measures taken by individuals seeking to enter the UK.
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