Turkish Lorry Driver Jailed for Smuggling 17 Migrants in UK
Hakan Zengin, 36, from Cigli, Turkey, has been sentenced to two-and-a-half years behind bars after being caught smuggling 17 migrants in his lorry trailer. The shocking discovery happened at the M25 junction with the A3 on Sunday 21 March when the National Crime Agency (NCA) and police stopped his vehicle.
Migrant Stowaways Found Hidden on Pallets
Inside Zengin’s trailer, officers found 17 migrants concealed carefully sitting on pallets laid across the load. The grim setup allowed the migrants to be hidden during the journey. Zengin was arrested as part of a wider NCA probe, Operation Symbolry, targeting a UK-based network smuggling people in and out of the country using heavy goods vehicles (HGVs).
Corrupt Drivers Fuel Ruthless Smuggling Rings
NCA branch operations manager Chris Hill blasted the drivers who enable dangerous smuggling gangs. He said:
“People smuggling crime groups need corrupt HGV drivers like Zengin to operate. They think nothing of packing people into lorry trailers or putting them into other extremely dangerous situations.”
Hill added that despite Zengin’s likely financial motivation, his gamble has ended in a “life-changing jail sentence far away from home.”
Warning Shot to Other Smugglers
Hill urged others tempted to get involved to think twice.
“I hope this conviction and sentencing sends out a message to others who would consider getting involved. It simply isn’t worth it.”
The NCA promises to work closely with UK and international partners to disrupt people traffickers and put corrupt drivers like Zengin behind bars. He is the latest in a string of HGV drivers caught by Operation Symbolry.
