People-Smuggling Boss Jailed for 11 Years
A man caught leading a small boats people-smuggling ring has been slapped with an 11-year jail sentence. The National Crime Agency uncovered his network is believed to have smuggled around 10,000 migrants to the UK.
How the Smuggling Chain Worked
Hewa Rahimpur, 30, from Iran, ran the operation from his home in Ilford, East London. He sourced boats in Turkey and arranged their delivery to Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands.
From there, his crew moved the boats to the northern French coast, where migrants made the final, perilous journey across the Channel.
Europe-Wide Manhunt Nets the Kingpin
Rahimpur was caught after a Europe-wide dragnet. Authorities tracked him down in East London and arrested him ahead of extradition to Belgium.
In Bruges, prosecutors slammed him for “systematic human smuggling,” charging migrants between £3,000 and £6,000 for the dangerous crossing.
On 18 October, a Belgian judge found him guilty and handed down an 11-year sentence.
“The criminal networks do not care about the safety of those they transport, and put people in extremely dangerous and life-threatening situations. This is why disrupting and dismantling them remains a key priority for us.”
The crackdown continues as law enforcement targets those who profit from risking lives on the Channel.
