Two members of a ruthless people smuggling gang have been extradited from the UK to Belgium after a high-profile joint crackdown by the National Crime Agency (NCA) and Belgian police. The pair, both Afghan nationals, were arrested in south London and Hertfordshire following European arrest warrants.
Smugglers busted in London and Hemel Hempstead
21-year-old Zeeshan Banghis (aka Bangash Zeeshan) was picked up at a New Kent Road address on 18 December 2024. Just days later on 30 December, 24-year-old Saifur Rahman Ahmedzai (aka Raees Hamza) was arrested in Hemel Hempstead. Both men were swiftly extradited to Belgium to serve jail sentences handed down by Antwerp courts last November.
Part of major migrant smuggling and abuse ring
- The gang orchestrated routes for migrants from Afghanistan through Iran, Turkey and the Balkans into western Europe, mainly France and Belgium.
- Thousands were smuggled on perilous small boat trips from northern France to the UK.
- Disturbingly, the gang also sexually abused male migrant minors, filming the assaults to blackmail victims into further crimes and abuse.
Justice served: Long sentences for 23 gang members
Belgian courts jailed 23 gang members with combined sentences totalling 170 years. Banghis received a 3-year sentence plus a €3,000 fine. Ahmedzai got 10 years and the same fine. Both were sentenced in absentia before being arrested in the UK and extradited—Ahmedzai in June 2024 and Banghis on 15 January 2025.
UK agencies help protect victims
The NCA worked closely with Border Force and Immigration Enforcement, identifying victims who were smuggled to the UK and ensuring they received safeguarding checks.
This multi-agency success brings dangerous criminals to justice and shines a spotlight on the dark reality behind migrant smuggling networks.
