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London: Indian-origin people smugglers who organised the illegal entry into Britain of thousands of people from India via South Africa have been sentenced to imprisonment following an extensive investigation into illegal immigration.
The five people smugglers forged or stole documents to bring Indian citizens illegally into Britain via South Africa, often on forged South African passports. Holders of South African passports can enter Britain as visitors for a period of six months.
The investigation, which began in September 1999 after an illegal passport-making factory was discovered under a staircase in a house in Leicester, was led by Britain's Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) and spanned several countries.
Members of the people smuggling gang were sentenced to various periods of imprisonment at the Leicester Crown Court this week. The gang earned millions of pounds by their activities by charging nearly 8,000 pounds (about Rs 6 lakh) per person to enter Britain illegally.
In some cases, after the Indian nationals were brought into Britain via South Africa, they were then facilitated to travel to Canada or the US through the collusion of a corrupt official at the Heathrow airport...Read...
The five people smugglers forged or stole documents to bring Indian citizens illegally into Britain via South Africa, often on forged South African passports. Holders of South African passports can enter Britain as visitors for a period of six months.
The investigation, which began in September 1999 after an illegal passport-making factory was discovered under a staircase in a house in Leicester, was led by Britain's Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) and spanned several countries.
Members of the people smuggling gang were sentenced to various periods of imprisonment at the Leicester Crown Court this week. The gang earned millions of pounds by their activities by charging nearly 8,000 pounds (about Rs 6 lakh) per person to enter Britain illegally.
In some cases, after the Indian nationals were brought into Britain via South Africa, they were then facilitated to travel to Canada or the US through the collusion of a corrupt official at the Heathrow airport...Read...