FOUR cabbies sentenced for role in organised migrant smuggling operation to France
- Perry Richardson
- 4 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Four cabbies have been sentenced for their involvement in an organised criminal operation that smuggled migrants from London to lorries heading for France, following an investigation by the National Crime Agency.
The drivers were part of a network orchestrated by Madjid Belabes, who coordinated the transport of migrants across the UK before they attempted to enter mainland Europe hidden in freight vehicles. Belabes, 54, was previously jailed for 10 years and nine months in November after being convicted of people smuggling and possessing £11,000 in criminal cash.
According to investigators, Belabes charged migrants £1,200 each and organised at least 26 attempts to move people out of the UK between December 2022 and September 2023. Authorities estimate he generated close to £290,000 through the operation. In one incident, French officials discovered 58 migrants from Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco concealed in a lorry after leaving the UK.
All the migrants transported by the group had entered the UK legally on tourist visas before attempting to reach mainland Europe illegally. Investigators said the UK was used as a staging point for the onward journey.
Four licensed taxi drivers jailed after National Crime Agency investigation uncovered plot transporting migrants from London to lorries bound for mainland Europe.
At Kingston Crown Cour on Friday, four taxi drivers admitted participating in the activities of an organised crime group. Samir Zerguine, 52, Mourad Bouchlaghem, 44, Mohamed Mabrouk, 44, and Mohamed Issaoun, 50, were involved in collecting migrants in London and transporting them to lorries waiting in lay-bys and service stations across Kent.
Prosecutors said the drivers carried out multiple trips as part of the conspiracy. Belabes deliberately used taxi drivers for the movements because it provided a credible explanation if vehicles were stopped by police while carrying several passengers.
Investigators linked the drivers to Belabes through call and text records recovered from mobile phones. CCTV evidence also showed Mourad Bouchlaghem meeting Belabes in London and placing migrants into his vehicle. Some of the other drivers were present during the exchange.
A fifth man, Said Bouazza, 56, who was unemployed, was convicted by a jury of the same offence after making a single trip connected to the smuggling operation.
The case highlights how organised crime groups exploit legitimate transport services to move migrants across the country before attempting to send them to mainland Europe using freight routes.
John Turner, NCA senior investigating officer, said: “We know that some gangs and drivers involved in smuggling migrants out of the UK are involved in smuggling into the UK too. Like Madjid Belabes, their only concern is making money. Belabes and these taxi drivers didn’t care about the potentially fatal dangers facing migrants hidden in lorry trailers.
“These criminal networks treat human beings like commodities. Tackling organised immigration crime is a key priority for the NCA, and alongside our international law enforcement partners, we are relentless in our efforts to dismantle these networks wherever they operate.”
Andrew Hudson, a specialist prosecutor from the Crown Prosecution Service said: “Smuggling people across borders in lorries is highly dangerous but thankfully in this case it was not fatal.
“These five men played their part in an organised crime ring out of pure greed and selfishness. Not only does people smuggling put lives at risk but it’s also an attack on UK border security. The CPS and our law enforcement partners will continue to build the strongest cases against suspects, whatever role they play.”
