Three men have been jailed for their roles in a gang that smuggled people from the UK into France by hiding them in lorries bound for Dover, part of a network sentenced to a combined total of 84 years. Shuhal Ahmed, 44, Robiul Islam, 50, and Qasim Jan, 55, were the latest members sentenced at Canterbury Crown Court on Wednesday.
The gang of 21 people smugglers was sentenced to a combined total of 84 years, the NCA said, and the agency said the investigation covered 10 separate smuggling runs between July 2025 and January 2026.
The NCA said the migrants paid around £1,400 to enter France and that most were in the UK legally at the time but were trying to avoid restrictions on entering the EU.
Ahmed, one of the heads of the East London-based gang, was sentenced to eight and a half years in prison. The court heard he would charge people in return for helping them avoid border and immigration checks to enter France illegally. Islam, a taxi driver, was sentenced to five years, and Jan, also a taxi driver, to four years.
In January, the NCA found an operation in which 23 people were taken from London to a location near Whitstable, where they were loaded onto a lorry bound for Dover. Islam would then drive mostly Pakistani and Bangladeshi migrants from London to Kent, where they would plan the crossings.
Senior investigating officer John Turner said: "Our investigation has seen the entire criminal network dismantled, from the organisers right down to the drivers employed to transport migrants illegally." Turner added: "I hope it sends out a warning to those who would consider getting involved and think there is money to be made from smuggling people in either direction across the Channel. The chances of getting caught have never been higher, it simply isn't worth it."
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The case shows prosecutions targeting both organisers and drivers, with the NCA saying the network was dismantled.
- The NCA says the gang moved people in the reverse direction to the small-boat traffic usually reported, from the UK to France.
- The NCA said most of those smuggled were in the UK legally, trying to avoid EU entry restrictions.
Background
The National Crime Agency is the UK's national law enforcement body for organised crime, including people smuggling across the Channel. Smuggling in both directions has been a focus of its investigations, as Turner's remarks indicate.
Key Perspectives
National Crime Agency: says the gang charged migrants about £1,400 each and that the investigation covered 10 runs between July 2025 and January 2026.
Senior investigating officer John Turner: said the investigation dismantled the entire criminal network from organisers to drivers, and said the chances of getting caught have never been higher.
What to Watch
- Whether the NCA announces further charges or sentences in related investigations.
- Any change in the volume of reverse-channel smuggling the NCA reports.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedPeople smugglers were jailed over lorry runs from the UK to France.BBC London: “A gang of 21 people smugglers has been sentenced to a combined total of 84 years for helping people travel from the UK to France illegally by hiding them in lorries and passing through Dover.”
- SupportedThe NCA says migrants paid around £1,400 to enter France illegally.BBC London: “The migrants paid around £1400 to enter France and most were in the UK legally at the time but were trying to avoid restrictions on entering the EU, the NCA added.”
- SupportedShuhal Ahmed, Robiul Islam and Qasim Jan were the latest gang members sentenced on Wednesday at Canterbury Crown Court.BBC London: “Shuhal Ahmed, Robiul Islam and Qasim Jan were the latest members to be sentenced on Wednesday at Canterbury Crown Court.”
- SupportedThe gang of 21 was sentenced to a combined 84 years.BBC London: “A gang of 21 people smugglers has been sentenced to a combined total of 84 years”
- SupportedThe NCA said its investigation covered 10 smuggling runs between July 2025 and January 2026.BBC London: “the investigation covered 10 different smuggling runs between July 2025 and January 2026.”
- SupportedMost migrants were in the UK legally but were trying to avoid restrictions on entering the EU.BBC London: “most were in the UK legally at the time but were trying to avoid restrictions on entering the EU, the NCA added.”
- SupportedAhmed was sentenced to eight and a half years, Islam to five years and Jan to four years.BBC London: “Ahmed was given eight and a half years in prison, while Islam was given a five year sentence and Jan, 55, another taxi driver, was sentenced to four years in prison.”
- SupportedAhmed, 44, was one of the heads of the East London-based gang.BBC London: “The court heard how Ahmed, 44, was one of the heads of the East London-based gang”
- SupportedIn January, 23 people were taken from London to near Whitstable and loaded onto a lorry bound for Dover.BBC London: “In January, the NCA found an operation where 23 people were taken from London to a location near Whitstable , where they loaded onto a lorry bound for Dover.”
- SupportedIslam drove mostly Pakistani and Bangladeshi migrants from London to Kent, where they would plan the crossings.BBC London: “Taxi driver Islam, 50, would then drive mostly Pakistani and Bangladeshi migrants from London to Kent, where they would plan the channel crossings.”
- SupportedTurner said the investigation had dismantled the entire criminal network, from organisers to drivers.BBC London: “Our investigation has seen the entire criminal network dismantled, from the organisers right down to the drivers employed to transport migrants illegally.”
- SupportedTurner said the chances of getting caught had never been higher and that smuggling was not worth it.BBC London: “The chances of getting caught have never been higher, it simply isn't worth it.”