Portsmouth people smuggler's accomplice found to have been responsible for trafficking hundreds of illegal immigrants to the UK
An accomplice to a Portsmouth man, who controlled a network of people smugglers throughout northern Europe and the Middle East, has been found responsible for transporting hundreds of illegal migrants to the UK.
The man, who can not be named due to legal reasons, was deemed unfit to stand trial as he suffers from PTSD, panic attacks and depression. However, a trial of facts took place based on evidence gathered by the National Crime Agency (NCA), with a jury at Maidstone Crown Court today (October 14) finding that he had committed people smuggling offences.
He was involved with Ali Omar Karim, 47, of Portsmouth, who has already pleaded guilty to people smuggling in June 2024. Details from Karim’s phone showed that he was involved in the movement of people from Serbia, Turkey, Kosovo, Bosnia and other countries through border crossings in Romania and Hungary using HGVs.
Karim and the man were found to be behind and incident where a yacht was run aground in Rye, Sussex in February 2022 (video embedded in this article). There were 14 individuals from Iran, Iraq and Albania, including two children, aboard with Border Force officers detaining them two hours after they arrived.
One of the migrants had been in contact with the man prior to the event which led police to arrest him and take two of his phones in April 2023. This uncovered further smuggling plots.
The phone also contained multiple conversations with contacts regarding HGV and small boats crossings, the prices migrants were charged, and even arguments with other facilitators relating to crossing attempts.
He and Karim were linked to further incidents, including on November 17, 2022 when two Iraqi nationals were found hidden in a trailer in Calais. messages between the two showed them discussing an attempt in the same month where they charged migrants £1,650 each for a crossing in a HGV.
Evidence on Karim's phone suggested those trafficked paid £800 to £1,000 to get into the EU, and then charged a further, larger amount to get from France to the UK.
Rachel Bramley, from the NCA, said: "The man was extremely prolific in the criminal world of people smuggling. His messages with Karim and others showed the group's disdain for the people they were transporting – they were seen as nothing more than a commodity for them to make money from.
"Our investigators uncovered their extensive digital footprint, which showed months of activity organising crossings both by small boats and HGVs, sharing routes and prices, receiving praise in videos of migrants on their crossings and boasting of the proceeds they made.
"Tackling organised immigration crime remains a top priority for the NCA, and we are determined to do all we can to target, disrupt and dismantle them, wherever they operate. We are currently leading around 100 ongoing investigations into networks or individuals in the top tier of organised immigration crime who are involved in the highest harm, highest threat crime groups."
Karim was arrested in Portsmouth in March 2024 and pleaded guilty to people smuggling offences in June 2024. He will be sentenced on January 8, 2026.
The other man will remain in custody until the same date.