Tarik Namik failed to appear in court in December and was sentenced to eight years in prison in his absence, according to the National Crime Agency (NCA).
The 45-year-old from Oldham had previously been found to be the head of an organised crime group involved in transporting migrants from Iraq and Iran to the UK in the back of lorries, according to the agency.
Along with him, four other members of his gang were sentenced.
Namik became the subject of an NCA investigation in 2017, and a warrant was issued for his arrest after he failed to appear in court on December 9th.
According to the NCA, he was arrested “the moment he set foot back in the UK” after landing in Manchester on a flight from Istanbul.
Namik was a prolific people smuggler whose criminal organisation put vulnerable migrants in danger while he profited,” said NCA branch commander Richard Harrison.
“I am overjoyed that he will now face justice for the crimes he committed.”
Fugitives are never off our radar, and I’d like to thank our colleagues at Greater Manchester Police for their assistance in ensuring he was apprehended as soon as he returned to the UK.
Namik was scheduled to appear in Manchester Magistrates’ Court on Saturday and will most likely be sentenced in the crown court on Monday.
