People trafficking gang jailed for 50 years
A GANG of people traffickers who made at least £1.2 million smuggling illegal immigrants, fugitives and terrorists out of Britain to France has been jailed for a total of 50 years.
Moabdul Gaffar and Shamim Miah were convicted and charged for breaching immigration laws
Ringleader Moabdul Gaffar, 45, preyed on “poor and desperate” people and told parents to drug their children so they did not make a noise in lorries.
He was happy to help when an undercover reporter from The Sun newspaper told him he was heading to Syria to fight for Islamic State and another said he was on the run from the police.
Ringleader Moabdul took migrants as far as Paris for £600 while £1,300 bought them passage to Europe
Gaffar boasted he “did it all the time” driving lorries via Dover twice a week from Whitechapel, east London.
Migrants were taken as far as Paris for £600 while £1,300 bought them passage to any country in Europe.
The journalists tipped off police who stopped a lorry in France.
Inside were 11 Bangladeshi men, five Pakistani men, and a Bangladeshi couple with a toddler.
Shamim Miah was sentenced to 12 years at Isleworth Crown Court
They had all come to the UK legally but had overstayed their visas.
Gaffar, of Limehouse, was arrested at Heathrow Airport on his way to Bangladesh.
He was branded “a disgrace to himself and the country that gave him a home” during the trial at Isleworth Crown Court.
A further five men including Niam Uddin were also jailed for breaching immigration laws
He admitted breaching immigration laws and was jailed for 9½ years.
Travel agent Shamim Miah, 47, of Luton, was convicted of the same charge and got 12 years.
Five others were also jailed.