Traffickers smuggled people OUT of Britain!

22 Mar 2024

A gang of people smugglers have appeared in court after they allegedly trafficked people OUT of Britain.

Azize Benaniba, 39, Abed Karouz, 29, Amor Ghabbari, 31, Mahmoud Haidous, 51, Mohammed Bechkit, 35, and Mohamed Abdelhadi, 48, are all charged with conspiracy to facilitate illegal migration.

The elaborately co-ordinated scheme allegedly involved the defendants bringing north Africans into the UK on illegal tourist visas before smuggling them into France in HGV vehicles.

The court heard that the defendants made between £750 and £1,000 per smuggled migrant.

Prosecutor Mewesh Shah said: ‘On 21 February 2023 sixty-four people were found in the rear of a Spanish registered HGV at the port of Calais arrived from Dover.

‘Two lorry drivers were of Moroccan descent with Spanish identity documents.‘Both drivers were warranted and are being prosecuted in France.‘Others were returned to the UK.‘It has essentially been identified that this is an organised crime gang.‘They are using a loophole in the UK visa scheme, bringing north Africans to the UK by using a tourist visa that’s been falsely applied for. ‘Once the individuals were in the UK, they were then smuggled into France via HGVs. ‘One of the identified controllers within the UK is Azize Benaniba. ‘He’s the Algerian national who’s suspected of being in the UK illegally. ‘He’s in control of a network of HGV drivers who’ve agreed to conceal migrants in the trailers of their HGV in order to circumvent border controls between the UK and France. ‘He brings together a group of migrants at a given location before placing them into taxis or vehicles that work for his network. ‘These vehicles are then used to transport the migrants to the waiting HGVs where they are loaded into the trailer. ‘The HGV then travels to Dover where it boards the ferry to France. Ms Shah also identified Abed Karouz and Amor Ghabbari as high-up members of the organised gang. ‘Another identified controller within the UK is Abed Karouz. ‘He’s an Algerian national, and he’s also suspected of being in control of the network of HGV drivers who’ve agreed to conceal the migrants in the trailers of their HGVs. ‘The final controller in the network is Amor Ghabbari. It is believed that Mr Ghabbari works closely with Benaniba to locate migrants who want to travel from the UK to France.’ Ms Shah told the court that the gang earned between ‘£750 and £1,000’ for each smuggled migrant. NCA officers carried out a series of raids across north London yesterday and arrested the six men who are Algerian, Moroccan and Tunisian nationals. Speaking as witness, Officer Matthew Stephenson said: ‘Essentially we have eight events that took place from the summer onwards. ‘Six of which resulted in migrants being found in the rear of HGVs. ‘Of the six people that will be in the dock, all were involved at various points of the conspiracy’. Azize Benaniba, a Tunisian national who’s address is unknown, is charged with conspiracy to facilitate illegal immigration and possession and controlling of an ID document with intent. Abed Karouz, of Brownlow Road, London, Amor Ghabbari of Elgin Avenue, London, Mahmoud Hairdos of Oakley Road, London, Mohammed Bechkit of Leopold Road London and Mohamed Abdelhadi of Inderwick Road London are all charged with conspiracy to facilitate migration. All six defendants have been remanded in custody until 18 April, where they will appear at Kingston Crown Court.

Traffickers smuggled people OUT of Britain!

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