Afghan national arrested in Croydon on suspicion of people smuggling

Six people wanted in Belgium over their suspected involvement in a major people-smuggling ring following a joint investigation by the National Crime Agency and Belgian police have been arrested in the UK.

One of them, 20-year-old Sahil Ahmadzai, 20, was arrested in Parchmore Road, Thornton Heath, Croydon and appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court yesterday, when extradition proceedings began.

The men – all Afghan nationals – were arrested yesterday as part of coordinated action in Belgium and Italy in which 10 people were arrested.

National Crime Agency officers arrested the other men at addresses in Leicester, Birmingham, Coventry and Essex after warrants were issued for their arrest by the Belgian courts.

Belgian prosecutors say the men arrested today were allegedly involved in organising the transport of migrants from Afghanistan through Iran, Turkey and the Balkans (via the Serbian-Hungarian border) into western Europe, mainly France and Belgium.

The organised crime group has been running since 2022 and allegedly used social media platforms to communicate with migrants.

Those migrants who had their asylum claims rejected in Belgium would then be moved on to the UK using small boats. The gang is suspected of transporting significant numbers in this way.

Officers from the NCA’s International Network have supported the Belgian investigation for around two years, supplying intelligence and evidence to the Belgian Federal Police around suspected members of the network.

NCA Deputy Director Craig Turner said: “These men were allegedly part of a dangerous and harmful criminal network which moved migrants across the world, through Europe and eventually into northern Europe and the UK.

“The threat posed by organised immigration crime is chronic and enduring, and we currently have 70 live investigations into the gangs involved in it.”

Minister for Border Security and Asylum, Dame Angela Eagle, said: “This government is clear that we will not hesitate to go after those who seek to undermine our border security and we will continue to work even closer with international partners to put a stop to their criminal activity.”

Pictured top: NCA officers executing an arrest warrant on one of the six suspects in Leicester (Picture: NCA)