Three members of a people smuggling gang that sexually abused young boys and moved thousands of migrants illegally through Europe have been arrested in the UK. The trio, who have all been convicted in their absence by a Belgian court, were part of a network that “inflicted extreme cruelty” on the people they smuggled, including children, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said.
The Afghan nationals helped move migrants from Afghanistan through Iran, Turkey and the Balkans into western Europe, mainly France and Belgium, with many then being crammed onto small boats to the UK. Young boys making the journey were seriously sexually abused, with gang members filming the harrowing attacks and using the footage to blackmail their victims.
Saifur Rahman Ahmedzai, also known as Raees Hamza, 23, was arrested in Hemel Hempstead on Monday; National Crime Agency officers arrested 20-year-old Zeeshan Banghis, aka Bangash Zeeshan, 20, in New Kent Road, London on December 18; and Ziarmal Khan, also known as Boxer Bhai, 24, was arrested on December 6 at Stansted Airport on suspicion of domestic violence, before he was further arrested over his conviction in Belgium.
So far 23 members of the gang have been convicted and sentenced by a court in Antwerp, 11 of whom were prosecuted in their absence. Ahmedzai was jailed for 10 years, while Khan and Banghis were each sentenced to three years, and all were fined 3,000 euros (£2,486).
