Manchester Crown Court has sentenced Tarik Namik, 45, of Oldham, to nearly 24 years behind bars for leading a ruthless organised crime gang involved in smuggling migrants from Iraq and Iran into the United Kingdom.
The criminal group’s activities prompted a significant National Crime Agency (NCA) crackdown in 2017, ultimately resulting in the gang’s dismantling and prosecution.
How the Smuggling Ring Operated
Namik’s gang ran a sophisticated operation to facilitate the illegal entry of migrants into Britain. Key accomplices in the network included Hajar Ahmed, 39, from Manchester; Soran Saliy, 32, of Stoke; Habil Gider, 54, from Stoke, who acted as an escort within the UK; and Hardi Alizada, 32, from Nottingham, who coordinated the European segment of the smuggling route.
The gang provided migrants with two different methods to reach the UK, after which the individuals would claim asylum. In one alarming incident in September 2017, nine migrants, including five children, were abandoned from a Polish lorry in a layby in Lancashire. The migrants were in desperate condition, with one person dialing 999 for emergency assistance. All were promptly taken to hospital for food, water, and medical care.
Operation Shutdown and Sentencing
The gang’s criminal activities came to an end in April 2018 when the NCA conducted a major operation, arresting Tarik Namik, Hajar Ahmed, and Soran Saliy. Hardi Alizada was arrested in early 2019. All five members of the gang pleaded guilty during earlier court hearings.
Today, the group was collectively sentenced to a total of 23 years and 11 months imprisonment at Manchester Crown Court.
An NCA spokesperson stated, “This investigation shows the NCA’s relentless commitment to smashing organised immigration crime and stopping traffickers endangering vulnerable migrants.”
Originally published by UKNIP.
