Two Albanians Sentenced to Prison for Transporting Undocumented Immigrants to UK
The pair were part of an organised gang that facilitated illegal immigration, supplied fake documents, and were involved in drug trafficking and money laundering.
Two Albanian nationals who orchestrated the smuggling of illegal immigrants into the UK have been sentenced to jail, announced the National Crime Agency (NCA) on Saturday.
Myrteza Hilaj, 50, and Kreshnik Kadena, 37, both residing in Leyton, east London, were members of a multi-national organized crime syndicate that utilized lorries and a small plane to transport illegal immigrants and provided them with counterfeit documents.
Both were convicted at Southwark Crown Court in March for aiding the commission of immigration law violations.
They were given prison sentences of three years and six months, and one year and eight months, respectively, this past Saturday.
The convictions of Hilaj and Kadena in March marked the conclusion of an eight-year NCA inquiry into the organized crime group, which engaged in facilitating illegal immigration, money laundering, drug trafficking, and distributing fake documents.
The investigation, known as Operation Micropus, led to 27 arrests, 11 convictions in the UK, and nine abroad, as stated by the NCA.
According to the agency, Hilaj served as the UK coordinator for the organized crime ring, with Kadena as his assistant.
The two were responsible for a minimum of nine migrant journeys between 2016 and 2017, three of which were by light aircraft to an airfield in Essex.
The NCA, along with authorities in France and Belgium, discovered Hilaj’s contact number in the phones of numerous migrants whose attempts to cross were intercepted in 2017. Phone records indicated that Hilaj and Kadena were facilitators for the human trafficking network that charged Albanian immigrants roughly £10,000 each for entry into the UK and assistance in establishing themselves.
Moreover, Hilaj oversaw the safe arrival of vehicles containing illegal immigrants at discreet locations in the UK, ensuring their passengers were dropped off and then returned to their original legitimate routes without raising suspicions. He maintained regular communication with the immigrants before and during their journey.
Meanwhile, Kadena mainly contributed to smuggling immigrants via light aircraft, assisting in the transportation of an unknown number of immigrants from Calais to Essex and retrieving them from Stapleford airfield after landing on July 9, 2017.
Another flight scheduled for departure from Calais on July 17 of that same year was intercepted by French law enforcement. The UK pilot and a collaborator who had frequent communication with Kadena were apprehended, charged, and subsequently convicted in France, according to the NCA.
Following the interception, NCA officers observed Hilaj and Kadena, ultimately arresting them nine days later at their respective residences.
At Hilaj’s residence, officers seized counterfeit identity documents intended for illegal immigrants. Additionally, they found messages reflecting corrections made by Hilaj on false documents and online research pertaining to the intercepted aircraft in France.
On the other hand, Kadena was found in possession of a small quantity of cannabis and a security fob for the gate at Stapleford Airfield.
The NCA stated that Operation Micropus has resulted in the rescue of over 50 immigrants, the shutdown of four document forgery facilities, a confiscation of £5.46 million through Proceeds of Crime legislation and an order for £939,000, as well as the seizure of four tonnes of cannabis and 30 kilos of cocaine.
In a statement, Saju Sasikumar, NCA Senior Investigating Officer, expressed, “Operation Micropus has allowed us to uncover and dismantle an organized crime group that not only facilitated illegal migration but provided comprehensive services to those they assisted in entering the country, enabling them to work and access services unlawfully.
“It underscores our commitment to pursue all individuals involved in people trafficking, putting others’ lives at risk for financial gain.
“Combatting organized immigration crime remains a top priority for the National Crime Agency, with our endeavors intensifying.
“In collaboration with our domestic and international partners, we are diligently working to target all participants throughout every phase of the route.”
