Two people, including a Birmingham-based pilot, were arrested for attempting to smuggle migrants across the Atlantic. They brought them in small planes or vans equipped with hidden compartments.
Sangar Khalid Mohammed (32), and Billy Hems (24) both admitted conspiring to aid unlawful immigration. Mohammed further admitted drug supply.
On Friday, they were sentenced to seven-and-a-half years and two and one half years imprisonment, respectively at Worcester Crown Court.
Mohammed owned a carwash near Symonds Yat in Herefordshire, but officers found it to be a front for an important people-smuggling operation.
Behind the scenes, Mohammed was charging desperate people a small fortune – £12,000 per person – to bring them from France.
Hems was a Light Aircraft pilot from Rye Croft, Hollywood. Hems dropped migrants on unradared dawn flights to rural UK airports and then sneaked them in the country by hiding onboard vans.
Judge Jackson said to them: ‘Both were part of a conspiracy in order to illegally bring in immigrants into this country. This involved two successful immigrations: one via plane, driven by Mr Hems, and another using a van.
“This was a plot to transport migrants using a range of methods of transportation, including planes, boats, trucks, cars, etc.
Sangar Khalid Mohammed, 32, admitted conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration and also admitted to drug supply. He was jailed for seven and a half years.
Billy Hems (24), a Rye Croft pilot, was hired to fly light aircraft and drop migrants in rural UK airports. He then drove them across the country with vans. Two and a quarter years was spent in jail and his pilot’s license was lost.
Friday’s hearing at the court was about Mohammed and Hems using light aircraft and a van equipped with hidden compartments, to transport migrants into the UK.
Mohammed was detained at his Symonds Yat residence on October 17th 2019, as seven Kurdish migrants were also being taken to Ghent in Belgium under his distant orders.
Investigations revealed that Mohammed had been working alongside Hems to support a wide-ranging smuggling scheme.
His Honour Judge Jackson replied, “Mr Mohammed. You were actively recruiting others for these activities.”
“It is quite evident from recordings with undercover officers that you took the lead.”
Hems, 24, was driving a VW van with three migrants in it when French Police stopped him.
Both the driver and the passenger were British citizens. They were both later sentenced to prison in France. A phone that was found in the van belonged to Mohammed.
Hems (from Rye Croft, Hollywood) flew frequently between the UK, France and Amiens in 2018. Hems is suspected to have been smuggling flights to rural airfields.
The authorities confirmed their suspicions after they tracked one of Hems’ smuggling planes to Shotteswell near Banbury, in 2019. On October 18, 2019, he was arrested.
Judge Jackson stated, “In your case, Mr Hems you were much older.” It is a great tragedy that your pilot’s certificate has been revoked.
In addition, the court heard from West Midlands Regional Organised Crime Unit officials that they gathered critical intelligence and evidence leading to their demise.
Pictured: A van with Belgian number plates that Mohammed and Hems used to transport migrants into the UK
Julie Woods, Detective Inspector of Police said that it was an excellent piece of cooperation between us and immigration to take down an established people-smuggling gang.
‘Mohammed and Hems were making huge money from the plight, desperation, and suffering of migrants. We also believe that some were being employed as low-wage labour at Mohammed’s hand car wash.
Tom Pursglove is Minister of Justice and Tackling Illegal Immigration. He stated: “Both these individuals displayed a blatant disregard of the laws of UK. For which, they all have rightly paid for it.
“We will be pursuing criminal people smugglers who put profits before human lives and organise dangerous, unnecessary travels.
“This is the reason we brought forward legislation through The New Plan for Immigration to break down these people smuggling organizations and save lives.