Final three members of an East London gang that smuggled migrants into France are jailed, taking the total sentences past 84 years

Published 28 October 2026, 15:25

• Ringleader Shuhal Ahmed who charged migrants £1,400 a head for the journey is jailed for eight-and-a-half years.
• Minicab drivers Robiul Islam, 50, and Qasim Jan, 55, ferried migrants to board lorries in Kent and got five and four years respectively.
• 'It simply isn't worth it,' warns NCA's John Turner as all 21 gang members are convicted

The final three members of an East London people smuggling gang that hid migrants in lorries to sneak them out of the UK and into France have been sentenced, taking the gang's total past 84 years.

The sentences bring the total jail terms from the NCA investigation to more than 84 years combined.

In all, 21 members of the network have now been convicted as a result of the agency's work.

The gang circumvented border checks by concealing people inside lorries bound for France.

Among those sentenced Wednesday was one of the ringleaders of the East London-based gang, Shuhal Ahmed, 44, the NCA said.

Each migrant paid Ahmed roughly £1,400 for assistance bypassing border and immigration controls to cross into France without authorisation.

He admitted people smuggling offences and was jailed for eight-and-a-half years.

Robiul Islam, 50, a minicab driver, also faced charges; his role was to ferry migrants from London to Kent, where lorries and vans heading for the Channel crossing were waiting to collect them.

He also encouraged fellow drivers to follow suit, and was jailed for five years.

Qasim Jan, 55, a minicab driver who played a role in moving migrants, was the last person in the network to receive a sentence.

Jan received a four-year prison sentence.

NCA investigators were able to evidence 10 different smuggling runs intercepted between July 2025 and January 2026.

Most of the people being transported were legally present in the UK at the time, but were trying to circumvent rules on EU entry, according to the NCA.

Wednesday's hearing followed the convictions of five other men, all found guilty of facilitating illegal immigration after a three-week trial at Canterbury Crown Court that concluded on Thursday 22 October.

Those five were handed jail terms of between four and seven years.

NCA Senior Investigating Officer John Turner said the sentencing "marks the end of a significant investigation undertaken by the NCA into a major people smuggling network threatening the border security of both the UK and France."

"Our investigation has seen the entire criminal network dismantled, from the organisers right down to the drivers employed to transport migrants illegally," Turner said.

"I hope it sends out a warning to those who would consider getting involved, and think there is money to be made from smuggling people in either direction across the Channel," he added. "The chances of getting caught have never been higher, it simply isn't worth it."