Vietnamese People Smuggler Busted in Birmingham
Hai Xuan Le, 33, a Vietnamese national, ran a people-smuggling racket from his flat in Handsworth, Birmingham. The National Crime Agency (NCA) uncovered his role as the UK hub in a vast network ferrying migrants illegally from Vietnam to the UK during August and September 2020.
‘Pork’ and ‘Chickens’: Migrants Branded Like Cargo
Phone evidence revealed chilling messages where migrants were referred to as “pork” and “chickens.” Le used multiple phone numbers, fake social media accounts, and aliases to coordinate migrant pickups across Europe. Victims were loaded onto HGVs in France, Belgium, and the Netherlands before crossing to the UK.
Taxi Driver Accomplice Caught Driving Migrants
Once in the UK, taxi driver Habib Behsodi, 42, from Chatham, Kent, collected the migrants and drove them to the West Midlands. Behsodi also handled the cash payments, working closely with Le to keep the operation running smoothly.
Justice Served: Long Sentence for Ringleader
Le was caught in September 2021 after trying to flee from the NCA. He initially gave a false name but was soon unmasked with help from Vietnamese authorities. Following a six-week trial at Birmingham Crown Court, both men were found guilty of conspiracy to facilitate illegal immigration in December 2022.
Today, Le was jailed for seven-and-a-half years. Behsodi received a two-year suspended sentence. NCA Branch Commander Mick Pope slammed Le’s ruthless greed:
“Hai Xuan Le showed complete disregard for those he was involved in moving across the Channel. He treated them as nothing more than a commodity and was happy to risk their lives in return for his own financial benefit. Le was the lynchpin of a wider global criminal network, acting as a fixer to get migrants onto lorries and into the UK. Habib Behsodi worked with him to facilitate this criminal activity and bring newly-arrived migrants to the West Midlands. Stopping people smugglers is a priority for the NCA and we are determined to do all we can to disrupt and dismantle the criminal networks involved, wherever they operate.”
