Four taxi drivers connected to a migrant-smuggling ring have been sentenced following a National Crime Agency (NCA) crackdown. The gang transported illegal migrants from London to waiting lorries in Kent, which were destined for France.
Madjid Belabes, 54, the smuggling kingpin, organised 26 migrant runs between December 2022 and September 2023, earning almost £290,000. The Algerian-born resident of Camberwell charged £1,200 per trip to move North African migrants from the UK to mainland Europe.
Belabes targeted migrants from Algeria, Tunisia, and Morocco who initially entered the UK on tourist visas. These migrants used the UK as a stepping stone to illegally enter France. One failed attempt involved 58 migrants crammed into lorries discovered by French authorities.
Belabes was sentenced last November to 10 years and nine months in prison for people smuggling and criminal property offences, which included £11,000 in cash.
The taxi drivers at the centre of the smuggling operation are Samir Zerguine, 52; Mourad Bouchlaghem, 44; Mohamed Mabrouk, 44; Mohamed Issaoun, 50; and Said Bouazza, 56, who was unemployed and involved in only one trip. All are Algerian nationals and admitted to being part of an organised crime group.
These men drove migrants from London to secluded lay-bys and service stations in Kent, where lorries awaited to transport them to France. Belabes used taxis because carrying multiple migrants in a cab helped avoid police detection.
Evidence against the drivers included call and text logs linking them to Belabes, as well as CCTV footage showing Mourad Bouchlaghem meeting the kingpin and loading migrants into vehicles.
John Turner, senior NCA investigator, said, “These criminal networks treat human beings like commodities. Tackling organised immigration crime is a key priority for the NCA.” CPS prosecutor Andrew Hudson added, “Smuggling people across borders in lorries is highly dangerous but thankfully this case wasn’t fatal. These five men acted out of pure greed and selfishness.”
The NCA continues to collaborate with international partners to dismantle these dangerous smuggling rings and protect vulnerable migrants from exploitation.
Originally published by UKNIP.
