A man who helped smuggle 22 Vietnamese nationals into the UK over an 18-day period has been jailed for eight years. Duc Quang Ta, 36, was sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court on Friday, 10 July, after being convicted following a 16-day trial in February. The court heard Ta played a key role in a people-smuggling operation which helped Vietnamese nationals enter the UK illegally during 2020. In total, he was found to have assisted 22 Vietnamese migrants in reaching the UK over an 18-day period.
Co-defendant receives suspended sentence
Ta’s co-defendant, Sarfaraz Sardarzehi, 58, was also sentenced after being convicted for his involvement in the operation. Sardarzehi received a two-year prison sentence, suspended for 21 months, after the court heard he had helped three of the migrants.
Organised immigration crime
The prosecution said the pair were involved in facilitating the illegal entry of Vietnamese nationals into the UK as part of an organised people-smuggling network. While Ta played a significant role in arranging the movement of 22 migrants, Sardarzehi’s involvement related to the transportation of three individuals after they had entered the country. Following sentencing, Ta was ordered to serve eight years in prison, while Sardarzehi avoided immediate custody but remains subject to the terms of his suspended sentence. The convictions form part of ongoing efforts by law enforcement agencies to dismantle organised immigration crime groups operating across the UK.
