A man involved in a dangerous people smuggling operation has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for facilitating unlawful immigration into the United Kingdom. Anas Al Mustafa, 43, was found guilty at Lewes Crown Court and sentenced today.

The case was brought by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), following an investigation by the Home Office Criminal and Financial Investigations Immigration Enforcement Unit. Al Mustafa was arrested at the scene when his van, used to smuggle individuals into the UK, was intercepted.

Al Mustafa was responsible for smuggling several Vietnamese nationals from France into the UK. The migrants were found hidden in a specially constructed compartment in the back of a van driven by Al Mustafa.

The vehicle was stopped at Newhaven, Sussex, after arriving on a ferry from Dieppe, France. Border Force officials and police discovered the migrants when they were heard screaming for help by a crewman aboard the ferry. The ship’s captain and crew helped free the individuals by breaking through a false wall in the van’s rear compartment.

All seven migrants required medical attention due to oxygen deprivation and the cramped, dangerous conditions inside the compartment. They were subsequently hospitalized, with one victim remaining in a coma for several weeks.

Lauren Doshi of the Crown Prosecution Service stated, “The defendant in this case attempted to conceal his involvement in smuggling people into this country. A lot of effort had been put into adapting a van to hide people within the back of it, in dangerous and potentially life-threatening conditions.”

The CPS has pledged to work with law enforcement to prosecute those involved in people smuggling. They also confirmed that Al Mustafa will be stripped of any financial gains from this criminal activity through their Proceeds of Crime Division.

This case highlights the ongoing efforts by UK authorities to crack down on illegal immigration and the exploitation of vulnerable individuals.