Driver jailed for taking migrants out of the UK

ILLEGAL migrants are being smuggled out of the UK to avoid deportation or prosecution, it emerged yesterday, as a Romanian trafficker was jailed for three years and eight months.

Alexandru-dorinel Fuiorea was stopped by police and the National Crime Agency in Gillingham, Kent, as he attempted to smuggle 17 migrants out of the UK in the back of a lorry.

Inside the 29-year-old’s trailer, which could only be opened from the inside, were 16 men and one woman of Indian,

Pakistani, Tunisian, Moroccan, Bangladeshi and Afghani nationalities,

Maidstone Crown Court was told the trailer contained nothing else and that there had been no attempt to hide the migrants. Emin Kandola, prosecuting, said this was because vehicles leaving the UK “would not normally expect to be searched”.

Asked by Recorder Alistair Webster QC why the migrants were being taken out of the UK, she said: “There are a number of reasons – one is they have claimed asylum (and failed), are fleeing to visit relatives in another country, or fleeing the authorities in this country.”

One known trick involves migrants being smuggled out to evade deportation before being smuggled back. Once in Europe, they can register for asylum in that EU country. They are then brought back illegally into the UK so if caught and deported they would only be returned to Europe rather than their original country.

Migrants would be smuggled out of the country for about £300 but trafficking gangs would charge £1,200 for a return journey via small boats across the Channel, or hidden in lorries.

Fuiorea, from Luton, Beds, admitted assisting unlawful immigration and possession of a small amount of cannabis. The court heard he had been in the UK for more than 10 years and had no previous convictions.

He claimed to be £17,000 in debt and had been threatened with the sack by his employers if he refused to carry out the trafficking.

Recorder Webster told him during sentencing: “This is exploitation of desperate people. It places significant stress on border controls and resources, and undermines cross-border security. I accept your role was only that of a driver and you would have limited understanding of what was going on further up the line. I also accept any financial profit out of this would have been a modest one and those who would have made the substantial profits were again higher up the line.

“It’s a pity you did not feel able to assist the police and NCA in identifying those who were responsible.

“It needs to be understood that all those playing a significant role in the trafficking of human beings will attract severe and significant sentences.”

Andy Noyes, the NCA branch commander, said after the sentencing: “The organised criminals behind people smuggling move migrants across borders in both directions. This threatens the security of both the UK and France, while putting lives at risk.

“Enablers like Alexandru Fuiorea make these dangerous trips possible, in exchange for a fee.

“The sentence handed to him should serve as a warning to anyone thinking of getting involved in such criminality. “The NCA and our law enforcement partners are determined to catch you and bring you before the courts.”

‘Organised criminals behind people smuggling move migrants across borders in both directions’