Two Men Jailed for Smuggling 39 Migrants, Including Child, in Freezer Lorry at Dover
Human Cargo Found in Chilling Conditions
Two men have been locked up for 12 years combined after 39 migrants, including a six-year-old boy, were found crammed into the back of a refrigerated lorry at Dover docks, Kent. The grim discovery exposed a brutal human smuggling ring putting lives at risk.
Smugglers Caught After NCA Sting
Jamal Elkhadir, 47, from Morocco, and Houcine Argoub, 32, from Bromley, admitted helping unlawful immigration. The National Crime Agency (NCA) investigation uncovered their roles in transferring migrants from a van into the freezer truck in a layby near Sandwich. The lorry was intercepted at Dover Port, where officers found all 39 migrants – Algerian and Moroccan nationals – locked inside a cold storage unit only accessible from outside.
Prison Sentences Delivered
Elkhadir was arrested at the docks and Argoub in Bromley last November. Both pleaded guilty at canterbury/" title="Canterbury" data-wpil-keyword-link="linked">Canterbury Crown Court on 13 March. Elkhadir received six years and nine months behind bars, while Argoub was sentenced to five years and three months.
NCA Pledges to Shut Down Smuggling Networks
John Turner, NCA operations manager, slammed the smugglers’ blatant disregard for human safety. He vowed the agency will continue to dismantle people smuggling rings and bring offenders to justice.
