Cricklewood Barber Busted in Migrant Smuggling Scandal
Gul Wali Jabarkhel, 33, ran a Cricklewood barbershop as a cover for a brutal migrant smuggling racket. The National Crime Agency (NCA) uncovered how he tried to recruit lorry drivers to ferry illegal migrants into the UK.
£2,500 Per Person: The Dark Deal
Jabarkhel promised drivers £2,500 for each migrant smuggled from France or Belgium, with cash paid on delivery. He claimed links to shady Albanian criminals. To dodge detection, he insisted no more than five migrants be smuggled at once, but planned up to three trips a month.
The first job was set for November 9, 2020, but Jabarkhel called off the Belgium mission and fled to Kabul with his co-conspirator Baz Mohammed Jabarkhil, 47, from Mill Hill. The NCA tried to stop them returning.
Illegal Returns and Cash Handovers
Despite efforts to block them, Jabarkhel and Jabarkhil made several illegal attempts to get back into the UK, using the lorry drivers they recruited. In April 2021, a deal was struck to pay drivers £7,500 each to facilitate the smuggling runs.
They enlisted Rehan Murudkar, 19, from Edgware, and Mohammad Rafique, 28, from Dollis Hill, to handle cash drop-offs at M1 london/" title="London" data-wpil-keyword-link="linked" data-wpil-monitor-id="3416">London Gateway Services. Unbeknownst to the gang, the NCA was watching.
Murudkar and Rafique were caught red-handed on suspicion of money laundering after the cash was handed to a driver. Both denied knowing about the smuggling, claiming they thought the money was for untaxed barber supplies. But phone evidence told a different story.
Jail Sentences Send a Clear Message
Phone data revealed detailed communication between the gang, including Google Maps links and cash drop plans. Jabarkhel was arrested at his barbershop on July 8, 2021. Jabarkhil was detained in Dover after arriving illegally by boat two months later.
After a six-week trial at Kingston Crown Court, all four men were convicted on April 25 and sentenced on June 1:
- Gul Wali Jabarkhel – 10 years in prison
- Baz Mohammed Jabarkhil – 5 years
- Rehan Murudkar – 2 years and 3 months
- Mohammad Rafique – 3 and a half years
“This organisation was greedy to profit from vulnerable migrants, caring more about avoiding detection than human lives,” said NCA Senior Investigating Officer Chris Hill.
“These sentences show NCA’s zero tolerance for immigration crime,” he added.
Minister for Justice Tom Pursglove hailed the NCA’s work: “Thanks to their relentless effort, these ruthless traffickers are behind bars and can no longer endanger lives for profit.”
