Two men who ran people-smuggling operation from car wash in Caerphilly plead guilty
Two men who ran a people-smuggling operation from a car wash have pleaded guilty.
Dilshad Shamo, 41, and Ali Khdir, 40, had previously denied the charges of assisting a breach or attempted breach of immigration laws.
But on Friday, on the tenth day of their trial at Cardiff Crown Court, they pleaded guilty to all offences.
The National Crime Agency (NCA) said the pair were “leading a double life… they seemed to be operating a successful car wash” but were “part of a prolific people-smuggling group moving migrants across Europe”.
Dilshad Shamo. Pic: NCA
The men were charged in February with five counts of conspiring to breach migration laws in Italy, Romania, Croatia and Germany to bring people into EU countries between September 2022 and April 2023 – mainly migrants from Iran, Iraq and Syria.
The prosecution opened its case last Monday, but on Friday the defendants both changed their pleas to guilty.
The jury had heard how Shamo and Khdir had used Fast Track Hand Car Wash in Caerphilly “at least in part to provide cover for the defendants’ other activities”.
Both Shamo, who was born in Iraq, and Khdir, who was born in Iran and is of Kurdish-Iranian ethnicity, were or had become British citizens.
The investigation, led by the NCA and supported by Gwent Police, found Shamo and Khdir were working as part of a larger organised crime group.
The trial heard migrants would pay money, “often equating to several thousands of pounds”, to fund the journey via the Hawala transfer system of credit notes.
The jury was told four main routes were used to traffic the individuals, including via HGV lorries, ships or smaller vehicles such as cars and taxis.
The NCA says many of the migrants are suspected of having arrived in the UK.
Ali Khdir. Pic: NCA
‘Prolific people-smuggling group’
NCA branch commander Derek Evans said of Khdir and Shamo: “While on the surface they seemed to be operating a successful car wash, they were actually part of a prolific people-smuggling group moving migrants across Europe and taking thousands in payment.”
He said the pair would advertise their services through videos and boast of successful trips on messaging groups.
In video evidence used by the prosecution, a family travelling by plane said “we are very happy… this is the visa, may god bless him”.
In another, a man travelling via the HGV route said: “Lorry route agreement, crossing agreement with the knowledge of driver. Here we have men, women and children. Thank god the route was easy and good.”
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When Shamo and Khdir were first arrested in April 2023, Khdir was heard telling Shamo: “Just tell them that we are buying and selling cars, just say we do transfer money from our home country.”
Dame Angela Eagle, minister for border security and asylum, said the government was “taking action against the people smuggling gangs and will stop at nothing to dismantle their networks”.
“Criminals like Khdir and Shamo put countless lives at risk smuggling vulnerable people through Europe in a shameless attempt to make cash,” she added.
Khdir and Shamo will be sentenced at a later date.
The government has been temporarily blocked from concluding the Chagos Islands deal by a late-night High Court injunction.
Ministers had been expected to complete a deal that would have seen the UK hand over sovereignty of the archipelago to Mauritius in the coming hours.
But in an emergency injunction granted early on Thursday, brought against the Foreign Office, Mr Justice Goose allowed “interim relief” to Bertrice Pompe, who had previously taken steps to bring legal action over the deal.
Ms Pompe is a Chagossian woman who sees the deal as a betrayal of their rights.
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The order, granted at 2.25am, states the government may take “no conclusive or legally binding step to conclude its negotiations concerning the possible transfer of the British Indian Ocean Territory, also known as the Chagos Archipelago, to a foreign government or bind itself as to the particular terms of any such transfer”.
A hearing is taking place at the High Court this morning, with crowds gathered in support of the block.
The location of the Chagos Islands
The government insisted this morning the Chagos Islands deal is the “right thing” for the UK.
A spokesperson said: “We do not comment on ongoing legal cases. This deal is the right thing to protect the British people and our national security.”
It was expected that Sir Keir Starmer would attend a virtual ceremony today to formally hand over sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, despite heavy criticism from the Conservatives and Reform UK.
The government has argued international legal rulings in favour of Mauritius mean this handover is necessary.
As part of the deal, the UK will lease back a military base on the archipelago for 99 years.
Robert Jenrick, the former justice secretary, told Sky News that the Chagos Islands deal is a “sell-out for British interests”.
He said: “You’re seeing British sovereign territory being given away to an ally of China and billions of pounds of British taxpayers money being spent for the privilege.
“So, if this group can force the government to think twice, then all power to them.”
With this injunction in place, Sir Keir can no longer legally complete the deal.
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Ms Pompe, who filed the application for interim relief, believes the British government is acting with disregard for the human rights of the Chagossian people.
She has argued completion of the deal would amount to a breach of the Human Rights Act and the Equality Act.
Chagossians are the former residents of the Chagos Islands, who were removed from the islands, predominantly to Mauritius, between the mid-1960s and early-1970s.
Those born on the islands and their children hold British nationality, but subsequent generations born outside British territory have no entitlement to it.
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