People smuggler who used tiny dinghies in the English Channel jailed for three years
Written by News on 09/07/2019
A people smuggler has been jailed for bringing migrants to the UK across the English Channel in small inflatable dinghies.
Sarbast Mohammed Hama, 31, of no fixed UK address, admitted to assisting unlawful immigration at Lewes Crown Court, and was jailed for three years and four months.
An investigation was launched after the Iraqi national was stopped in a dinghy filled with 13 migrants, which included two children, by a border force cutter near Folkestone in March.
It was revealed that he was previously stopped on Christmas Day last year off the coast of Deal in Kent, with 10 Iraqi migrants, according to the Home Office.
After his initial brush with the law, he falsely claimed to be from Iran and applied for permission to stay in the UK – a process which was ongoing.
Hama was arrested after the second time he was stopped.
Steve Whitton, from Border Force’s maritime command, said: “When he was intercepted by Border Force, Hama was involved in reckless attempts to smuggle people, including young children, into the UK.
“The vessels used were unfit to cross the Channel in the best of conditions, let alone in the middle of winter.”
National Crime Agency (NCA) investigators examined the boat after Hama was stopped and traced it back to a shop in the Netherlands.
After that, a team from Immigration Enforcement Criminal and Financial Investigations secured CCTV that showed him buying the boat, as well as motors and lifejackets.
He was also filmed changing the number plates on his car outside the shop.
(c) Sky News 2019: People smuggler who used tiny dinghies in the English Channel jailed for three years
