Gang smuggled migrants into UK through Portsmouth port

Their activities were uncovered following a four-year investigation by the National Crime Agency (NCA), including a surveillance operation that led to their arrests.

In the early hours of March 11 2019 NCA officers observed a VW Touran people carrier rendezvous with a lorry driven by Romanian national Marinel Danut Palage, 31.

The truck had arrived in Portsmouth on a ferry from northern France the previous evening and was carrying a legitimate load of spinach from Spain.

But it was also carrying at least three people who had been brought into the UK illegally.

Palage's lorry, which was used to smuggle migrants into the UK through Portsmouth port (Image: National Crime Agency (NCA))

After meeting up with the lorry the VW drove away, only to stop in a layby on the A27, where migrants were transferred to two cars, both of which were later stopped.

Palage attempted to run off as NCA officers approached his truck, but he was detained and arrested.

During a search of his cab, plastic bags containing £34,500 were found. Further bundles of Euros and sterling to the value of around 7,000 were located behind a tachograph panel.

Later that morning the VW was stopped at Liphook services on the A3.

READ MORE: Albanian weed farmers came to UK illegally after promise of 'English dream'

In the driver’s seat was Goran Jalal, 37, of Bradford, who is the alleged ringleader of the network. He is wanted by the NCA, having absconded after his arrest.

In the passenger seat was Kamaran Kader, 44, also from Bradford.

Evidence obtained from mobile phones identified other members of the group and at least two other suspected people-smuggling events into Portsmouth in January and March 2019.

Pshtewan Ghafour, 37, of Middlesbrough, had travelled to Portsmouth with Jalal and Kader on the same nights that Palage arrived in his lorry on a ferry from France.

Ghafour and Kader’s fingerprints were found on envelopes containing the money. Two other members of the group were identified as Manchester duo Jamal Saied, 38, and Hemin Salih, aged 37.

Following a four-week trial at Bournemouth Crown Court, Palage and Ghafour were found guilty of conspiring to facilitate illegal immigration.

They were remanded in custody and will be sentenced on April 13, alongside Kader, who pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing.

Saied and Mustafa were found guilty of facilitating illegal immigration. Salih absconded before the trial but was convicted of the same offence in his absence. They will be sentenced on April 20.

NCA Branch Commander Richard Harrison said: "This people smuggling group were content to put vulnerable migrants, including children, in the back of refrigerated lorries for hours on end during dangerous Channel crossings."

Warrants have been issued for the arrest of Jalal and Salih.