People smuggling gang jailed after cramming vulnerable migrants inside car dashboard
The main suspect and organised crime boss, Mukhlis Jamal Hamadamin, was arrested at Manchester Airport in November 2023
Eight members of a significant UK-based people smuggling gang have today been jailed for a total of 33 years, after cramming vulnerable migrants inside a car dashboard in a bid to smuggle them into the UK and utilising false documents to facilitate numerous illegal entries via air routes.
Brothers Mukhlis Jamal Hamadamin and Muhamad Jamal Hamadamin, Yassen Jalal Mohammed, Jozef Kadet, Dlawar Omar, Khales Jabar and partners Redar Curtis and Emily Etherington received a total of 33 years and four months behind bars at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court for their part in the scheme.
The court heard how the gang facilitated illegal immigration into the UK via sophisticated concealments within vehicles. The gang also provided migrants with fraudulent identity documents created inside a forgery factory in Greece in an attempt to evade law enforcement.
Despite their sophisticated model, the gang were first intercepted in June 2022 after Border Force officers conducted a search of a vehicle inbound for the UK at Coquelles. Inside, they discovered a Vietnamese woman dangerously concealed inside a cramped compartment behind the dashboard. Jozef Balog, the driver, was arrested and revealed to be a key member of the gang. He pleaded guilty to assisting unlawful immigration and was sentenced to over two years behind bars in January 2024.
Just one month later, the gang attempted to strike again but were stopped by Border Force officers who discovered another vulnerable woman disguised in the dashboard of their vehicle. Emily Etherington pleaded guilty to facilitating illegal entry into the UK at a hearing last October, her partner, Redar Curtis, was found guilty of the same offence following a trial.
Having linked the three perpetrators, the Home Office’s Criminal Financial Investigations (CFI) team launched a wider international investigation revealing five more gang members responsible for people smuggling and putting the UK’s border security at risk.
The complex investigation saw seven search warrants executed at various locations across the country, resulting in the seizure of counterfeit documents, over 20,000 illicit cigarettes, and £6,000 in criminal cash. A further investigation has already commenced to recover the profit made by this organised criminal gang.
The main suspect and organised crime boss, Mukhlis Jamal Hamadamin, was arrested at Manchester Airport in November 2023. Phone analysis revealed that Hamadamin possessed numerous images of passports and boarding passes, as well as messages between the gang detailing the creation and distribution of false documents. Today he was sentenced to 13 years behind bars.
The investigation also linked Muhamad Jamal Hamadamin, Yassen Jalal Mohammed, Jozef Kadet, Dlawar Omar and Khales Jabar to the criminal scheme.
His Honour Judge Seeley warned the gang ahead of today’s sentencing that they should expect to receive substantial custodial sentences for their crimes and they now face a total of 33 years in prison.
Minister for Border Security and Asylum, Dame Angela Eagle, said:
“The unlawful activities of this gang is an example of the lengths people smugglers will go to for profit. Their ruthless disregard for human safety is sickening and shocking. Thanks to determined enforcement work they will now pay for their crimes.
“We will take down the people smuggling gangs who exploit our immigration laws. Today’s sentence is evidence that we are bringing the fight to them, and we won’t stop until justice is served.
“Our Plan for Change is already delivering on our promise to secure our borders by returning nearly 30,000 people with no right to be here since the election and introducing new, robust legislation granting law enforcement counter-terror style powers to take down the organised criminal gangs.”
Immigration Enforcement Criminal and Financial Investigations regional lead, Phillip Parr said:
“Today’s sentence is a significant deterrence for those thinking about getting involved in organised immigration crime.
“This gang put profit over lives, cramming people into sophisticated hides and planning dangerous border crossings for the most vulnerable, we won’t stand on and watch the exploitation continue.
“I’d like to pay credit to Border Force for their excellent detections and my team who worked tirelessly with international partners to break down this criminal gang’s enterprise, protecting the people of the UK and most importantly safeguarding those vulnerable to this trade.”
Today’s sentence forms part of the Government’s Plan for Change which will ensure that law enforcement partners have the necessary powers to root out and prosecute the criminal gangs who are lining their pockets at the expense of vulnerable migrants.
Since the election immigration enforcement activity across the UK has skyrocketed leading to a 51% rise in the number of arrests compared to the previous year.
DEFENDANTS
Mukhlis Jamal HAMADAMIN (01/01/1982) of Brook Road, Stockport.
Sentenced to 13 years
Muhamad Jamal Hamadamin (12/04/1997) of Brook Road, Stockport.
Sentenced to 1 year 6 months
Yassen Jalal MOHAMMED (18/01/1981) of Woodhouse Grove, Huddersfield.
Sentenced to 3 years 2 months
Dlawar OMAR (05/07/1984) of Pendrill Street, Hull.
Sentenced to 3 years 1 month
Emily Etherington (21/01/1987) of Guernsey Way, Kennington.
Sentenced to 2 years suspended for 2 years
Redar Curtis (12/10/1994) of Guernsey Way, Kennington.
Sentenced to 4 years 6 months
Jozef KADET (26/01/1999) of Constable Street, Manchester.
Sentenced to 4 years 2 months
Khales Akram JABAR (01/01/1981) of Barnaby Avenue, Middlesborough.
Sentenced to 2 years