Two people smugglers who helped transport Vietnamese migrants into the UK concealed inside lorries have been sentenced following a National Crime Agency (NCA) investigation.
Duc Quang Ta, 36, of Reading, has been jailed for eight years, while Sarfaraz Sardarzehi, 58, of London, received a two-year prison sentence, suspended for two years, at Birmingham Crown Court on Friday.
The court heard that Ta played a leading role in organising the transport of migrants hidden inside heavy goods vehicles travelling to the UK via ferry routes and the Channel Tunnel.
Sardarzehi’s role was to collect migrants by car after they had successfully entered the country.
National Crime Agency investigators uncovered evidence showing Ta was involved in 16 attempted smuggling operations between 18 August and 6 September 2020. Sardarzehi assisted in three of those journeys.
During the three-week period, 22 Vietnamese nationals were successfully smuggled into the UK.
The investigation found the pair were part of an organised criminal network profiting from the illegal movement of migrants while exposing them to significant danger during the journeys.
Sara-Jayne Moore, Branch Commander at the National Crime Agency, said the offenders had exploited vulnerable people for financial gain.
She said: “Ta and Sardarzehi were part of an organised crime group that exploited migrants and put lives at risk by hiding people inside HGVs.”
The NCA said tackling organised immigration crime remains a priority, with officers continuing to target the criminal networks responsible for facilitating illegal entry into the UK and profiting from vulnerable migrants.
The agency urged anyone with information about organised immigration crime to report it through the appropriate channels as investigations continue into those involved in people smuggling operations.
