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.
A 15-year-old boy has died after “getting into difficulty” in a lake in southeast London, police say.
Officers and paramedics were called shortly after 3pm on Friday to Beckenham Place Park in Lewisham.
The Metropolitan Police said a boy “was recovered from the lake” at around 10.42pm the same day.
“He was taken to hospital where he was sadly pronounced dead. His death is being treated as unexpected but not believed to be suspicious,” according to the force.
The boy’s family has been told and are being supported by specialist officers.
The force originally said the child was 16 years old, but has since confirmed his age as 15.
In the earlier statement, officers said emergency services carried out a search and the park was evacuated.
Emergency teams were called to Beckenham Place Park on Friday afternoon
Beckenham Place Park, which borders the London borough of Bromley, covers around 240 acres, according to the park’s website.
The lake is described as 285 metres long, reaching depths of up to 3.5 metres.
It is designed as a swimming lake for open-water swimming and paddle boarding.
A London Ambulance Service spokesperson said on Friday: “We were called at 3.02pm this afternoon to reports of a person in the water.
“We sent resources to the scene, including an ambulance crew, an incident response officer and members of our hazardous area response team.”
Emergency teams have not explained how the boy entered the water, or whether he was accompanied by others.
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