Men involved in smuggling people into UK in back of lorries convicted

Two men involved in a conspiracy to smuggle people into the UK hidden in the back of lorries have today (19 December 2022) been convicted.

Hai Xuan Le, 25, and Habib Behsodi, 41, were found guilty following a trial at Birmingham Crown Court of conspiring to assist with the illegal immigration of migrants between 19 August 2020 and 6 September 2020.

The CPS brought the charges against the two men following a detailed investigation by the National Crime Agency (NCA).

The prosecution established that the defendants were involved in smuggling Vietnamese nationals into the country from mainland Europe hidden in the back of HGVs.

These lorries crossed the Channel by ferry or Euro Tunnel. Once in the UK, the immigrants were then transferred by car from the South to the Midlands where they were met by members of the criminal enterprise.

The conspirators tried to conceal their identity by using unregistered pay-as-you-go phones, registering them in someone else’s name and address, changing their phones and phone numbers regularly, and by using pseudonyms, nicknames, and online usernames.

The CPS, together with the NCA, painstakingly built the case with the phone evidence to link the defendants to the criminal enterprise and prove that they were involved in the facilitation of the illegal movement of people into the UK.

Le, also known as and initially charged under the name Ho Sy Quoc, was a central figure in the conspiracy and an important linkman between those wishing to unlawfully enter the country and those managing the HGV drivers who were about to cross the Channel and were willing to conceal immigrants in the back of their lorries.

Behsodi was also instrumental, being employed as a driver to help move immigrants away from their point of entry and to collect cash payments on behalf of those who had instructed them. 

Russell Tyner, of the CPS, said: “The defendants in this case went to a lot of effort to conceal their involvement in smuggling people into the UK. All this was designed to avoid the checks and controls we have on immigration at our borders.

“The CPS is committed to working with law enforcement to identify and prosecute those that exploit and profit from people smuggling.

“Significant sums of money were made from this exploitation and the CPS will seek to pursue any money that has been made through the Proceeds of Crime Act.”

NCA Branch Commander Mick Pope said: “These men were part of a people smuggling network who were not just breaching UK border security but also risking the lives of those they transported.

“One text message exchange we recovered as part of this investigation shows migrants being referred to as ‘pork’ – which I think shows the callous nature of those involved.

“For them, the people they were transporting were a just a commodity from which they could profit.

“We have seen how this kind of criminality can so easily lead to loss of life, which is why we are doing all we can to target and dismantle the criminal networks involved.”

The men will appear again at Birmingham Crown Court for sentencing on 21 February 2023.