Teesside Crime Boss Nabbed: 20 Years for Migrant Smuggling
Mohammed Kheder Zada, the ruthless leader of a Teesside organised crime ring, has been slammed with a hefty 20-year jail term. The National Crime Agency (NCA) cracked down after exposing Zada and his gang’s wicked migrant smuggling operations into the UK.
Gang’s Dirty Tactics Exposed
At 43, the Middlesbrough man was found guilty, along with five cohorts, of running dangerous smuggling runs. The crew – including Pareiz Abdullah, Khalid Mahmud, Marek Sochanic, Gurprit Khalon, and Bestoon Moslih – recruited drivers and packed migrants into vans, refrigerated lorries, and even bicycle boxes to sneak them from mainland Europe.
- At least 35 Iraqi-Kurdish and Vietnamese migrants smuggled in 2017 alone
- Charged migrants between £5,000 and £10,000 per trip
- Hidden migrants among fruit, veg, and household goods to avoid detection
International Sting Busts Gang Activity
The gang’s smugglers first hit the spotlight in March 2017 when French police nabbed Marek Sochanic’s father at Calais, finding eight migrants stashed in a van full of furniture. Dutch authorities later uncovered 12 Vietnamese migrants – including kids – squeezed inside a refrigerated truck. Other stops in Belgium and France foiled further attempts.
February 2018 saw a massive police swoop with 350 officers from the NCA and regional forces dragging key gang members from northeast England into custody. Zada was arrested at his Wynyard home next to a £100,000 Range Rover, bringing a violent chapter to an end.
Justice Served – But Two Still on the Run
Zada, previously jailed for leading a cigarette smuggling syndicate, was convicted on five counts of conspiracy relating to immigration breaches at Newcastle Crown Court. Alongside him, Sochanic and five others copped significant sentences:
- Mohammed Kheder Zada – 20 years (in absentia, absconded before trial)
- Marek Sochanic – 6 years (in absentia)
- Pareiz Abdullah – 6 years
- Gurprit Khalon – 7 years
- Others received various terms
The hunt continues for Zada and Sochanic, who dodged the trial. Authorities vow to bring the pair to justice.
“Today’s outcome is the result of tireless efforts to dismantle people smuggling networks and ensure those treating people as commodities are put behind bars,”
– NCA Branch Commander Martin Clarke
Arslan Khan, head of the CPS’s Serious Economic Organised Crime Unit, warned: “These men were happy to risk the lives and safety of others to make money.” The CPS is now targeting the criminals’ ill-gotten assets through Proceeds of Crime action.
The crackdown is part of the NCA’s ongoing battle against organised immigration crime, with over 70 investigations still underway. The hope? To send a stark warning to all traffickers and smugglers that their days are numbered.
