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Two London residents sentenced for smuggling Indian migrants
Shafaz Khan from Feltham and Choudhry Rashied from Southall were sentenced following their arrest at Newhaven Ferry Port in March 2019, where Border Force officers discovered the migrants concealed in a hidden compartment of their van.
Shafaz Khan from Feltham and Choudhry Rashied / Image- Home Office UK
Two London residents have been sentenced to five years and three months each in prison for attempting to smuggle four Indian migrants into the United Kingdom.
Shafaz Khan from Feltham and Choudhry Rashied from Southall were sentenced following their arrest at Newhaven Ferry Port in March 2019, where Border Force officers discovered the migrants concealed in a hidden compartment of their van.
The migrants were found crammed behind a stack of dirty tyres in what authorities described as “dangerous and filthy conditions” without access to clean air, according to The Standard.
Khan and Rashied initially claimed they were returning from a trip to Belgium, but a thorough search of the vehicle revealed the hidden compartment.
The Home Office said in a statement, “Shafaz Khan and Choudhry Rashied have been sentenced to over 10 years combined in prison after attempting to smuggle migrants into the UK illegally, concealing them behind tyres with no access to clean air. Those who illegally smuggle migrants into the country will face justice.”
An investigation by the Home Office revealed that the duo had hired the van specifically for the smuggling attempt. Phone records showed the use of disposable “burner” phones to avoid detection, and CCTV footage captured them planning the operation at a local café.
Dame Angela Eagle, Minister for Border Security and Asylum, said, “This case displays the lengths people smugglers will go to disguise their criminal activity. These smugglers exploited a group of individuals by putting them into an unsafe and unlawful situation for their own financial gain,” according to The Standard
She added, “Our skilled investigators are working tirelessly to protect our borders as part of our Plan for Change. Alongside a major step up in enforcement action, we are investing £150 million into our new Border Security Command to disrupt the criminal smuggling gangs profiting from risking lives.”
Chris Foster, Regional Lead for Immigration Enforcement, said, “Both Khan and Rashied sold these vulnerable individuals a dream and promised them a safe journey and prosperous life in the UK, which was far from the truth. The people-smuggling gangs are playing with people’s lives and undermining our border security.”
The arrests come amid heightened efforts to combat illegal migration under the upcoming Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill. Proposed measures include restrictions on the use of phones, social media, and bank accounts by suspects, along with increased resources for border enforcement.
In 2024, nearly 37,000 people arrived in the UK via small boats, marking a 25 percent increase from the previous year. Indians represented 18 percent of arrivals between January and March 2023, making them the second most common nationality among small boat migrants after Afghans.
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