Three men who are allegedly part of a global people smuggling network moving migrants from the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) into the UK and Europe have been arrested. They have been linked to the same network as Amanj Hasan Zada, an Iranian national who dubbed himself “the best smuggler” and was jailed for 17 years in November after he arranged Channel small boat crossings from his home in Lancashire.
The men, who are from Sulaymaniyah, allegedly acted as a coordinator, a banker and a middle-man and were arrested in the KRI between January 8-12, according to the National Crime Agency (NCA) who worked with the Kurdistan Region Security Council and Kurdistan Region Security Agency to detain the gang members.
All three men, who “previously they thought they were untouchable,” are in custody and face prosecution for human trafficking offences by the KRI authorities. This was the first time the NCA has worked with Asayish (security) agencies in Erbil and Sulaymaniyah to target high-ranking people smugglers who are trying to transport migrants across Europe and into small boats to the UK.
The investigation also drew praise from Home Secretary Yvette Cooper who said the operation would have “a material effect on the criminal networks currently trafficking people across Europe.”. Amanj Hasan Zada, of Stefano Road, Preston, was convicted by a jury of three counts of facilitating illegal immigration after a two-week trial at Preston Crown Court.
