WIREDGOV

Three men have been sentenced for their roles in an organised crime group linked to the smuggling of migrants into the UK by lorry.

Jalal Tarakhail, 25, from Ilford, Najib Khan, 39, from Ilford, and Waqas Ikram, 41, from Dagenham used GPS trackers to trace vehicles they had hidden people inside.

Ikram was detained during an NCA operation at South Mimms services on 30 March 2021, where he was caught red-handed attempting to break into an HGV to put four migrants inside, unbeknownst to the driver.

At the time of his arrest, he was working for a people smuggling organised crime group (OCG) headed by Md Mokter Hossain, who was later jailed for more than 10 years as part of the NCA’s Operation Symbolry.

However, an iPhone belonging to Ikram, seized following his arrest, contained numerous conversations with Khan and Tarakhail outlining their involvement in a separate criminal network, charging migrants up to £7,000 a head to bring them to the UK.

There was evidence that showed they had been involved in multiple successful and unsuccessful crossings via lorry in 2019. Ikram and Khan had then gone on to purchase a rigid hull inflatable boat (RHIB) for the purpose of smuggling migrants to the UK over the Channel.

Drivers and a transport manager involved in two early unsuccessful attempts – involving a total of 32 migrants – were jailed in the Netherlands and France.

The NCA were able to prove that the crime group had been involved in both attempts, and accessed further conversations between Ikram and Khan showing they were using GPS trackers to follow lorries that had been broken into without the drivers’ knowledge.

Tarakhail’s role was wide-ranging. He was involved in the construction of a concealment in a lorry that was later found to have 16 migrants inside, 11 of whom were children, en route to Newhaven, and assisted with finding storage locations for other vehicles used to transport migrants to the UK.  

Ikram was arrested by the NCA for his role in Operation Symbolry in 2021, charged with people smuggling offences and released on bail by the court.

Both he and Khan were detained in connection with further offences by the NCA in July 2022 and charged with three counts of conspiring to facilitate illegal immigration.

Ikram pleaded guilty to the charge, but Khan went to trial and was subsequently found guilty.

Tarakhail was arrested in August 2023 at London Gatwick, travelling back to the UK from Dubai. He was convicted of one count of conspiring to facilitate illegal immigration in February 2024.

Yesterday, Friday 2 August, at Oxford Crown Court, Ikram was sentenced to nine years, Khan was sentenced to nine years, and Tarakhail was sentenced to four years.

Andy Noyes, NCA Branch Commander at Slough, said: “These individuals risked the lives of others, charging them substantial sums for a dangerous and illegal journey.

“Ikram and Khan even went as far as purchasing a small boat, shifting their attention from HGVs in an effort to maximise their profits.

“Tackling organised immigration crime remains a priority for the NCA. We are determined to do all we can to disrupt and dismantle the networks involved, and pursue every avenue available to save lives.”