Hewa Rahimpur has been sentenced by a Belgian court for being involved in a "systematic human smuggling" gang.
The 30-year-old was originally detained on 4th May 2022 as part of a joint investigation between the National Crime Agency and Belgian authorities.
His arrest triggered a Europe-wide operation to dismantle the network, which led to further arrests across the UK, France, Germany and the Netherlands later in July 2022.
Rahimpur led the network from his home in Ilford, East London, sourcing the boats in Turkey and having them delivered to locations across Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands.
The boats would then be moved from these locations to the northern French coast, from where migrants would then be transported into the UK.
The UK National Crime Agency said the gang would make between ÂŁ175,000 and ÂŁ260,000 in profit from each of the perilous Channel crossings.
It is believed that the gang were responsible for nearly 10% of crossings to the UK in a 12- to-18-month period.
Report by Caponm.
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Europe is suffering from a healthcare crisis, with chronic staff shortages, low pay and overtime prompting strikes in Germany, Slovenia, and Sweden. In France meanwhile, a controversial medicine education reform has students and doctors up in arms.
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Credit: euronews (in English) Duration: 01:31Published
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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has once again voiced strong support for Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity, emphasising Turkey's stance on the return of Crimea to Ukraine. Speaking at the Fourth Crimea Platform Leaders Summit, Erdogan reiterated that Turkey has never recognized Russia's annexation of Crimea and views the return of the region to Ukrainian control as a matter of international law. Highlighting the importance of upholding the rights of Crimean Tatars, Erdogan expressed gratitude to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Crimean Tatar leader Mustafa Abdulcemil Kirimoglu for their efforts in organising the summit, which marks the 80th anniversary of the expulsion of Crimean Tatars. As global tensions rise, Erdogan's firm position underscores Turkey's commitment to supporting Ukraine's sovereignty while navigating complex geopolitical relationships.
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