Two people suspected of smuggling migrants in small boats to be extradited from UK

15 July 2022, 18:45 | Updated: 15 July 2022, 18:55

Two suspected people smugglers will be extradited from the UK to face proceedings in France and Belgium.

Iranian-born UK national Kaiwan Poore was detained at Manchester Airport on Wednesday before he could fly to Turkey, the National Crime Agency (NCA) said.

The 37-year-old is accused by French prosecutors of being part of an organised crime gang smuggling migrants across the Channel in small boats.

He appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Friday and was remanded in custody after he consented to being extradited back to France.

District Judge Nina Tempia denied bail, claiming there are "substantial grounds" he would fail to surrender to extradition to France, the court heard.

Read more: Met cop sacked for verbally abusing and punching handcuffed 15-year-old boy

Read more: Mum jailed for life after murdering toddler after ex asked to share custody

She said: "I'm sure that, being involved in this allegation, you have means and wherewithal to get forged documents, so you could very easily leave the country.

"So, I'm remanding you in custody and I have instructed you will be extradited within 10 days of today's date."

Poore, dressed in a white t-shirt and grey tracksuit bottoms, was expressionless as he was led away by a guard.

Poore is thought to have arrived in the UK from Germany last week, a day before raids took place across Europe, leading to around 40 arrests.

He claimed he stayed in a hotel while visiting a female friend in Frankfurt, the court heard via a Kurdish interpreter.

Operation Punjum, led by the NCA in the UK, was carried out alongside Operation Thoren in Europe to target a network suspected of smuggling up to 10,000 migrants across the Channel in the last 12 to 18 months.

Nearly a thousand officers were involved in the investigation, which seized about 1,200 lifejackets, close to 150 boats and 50 engines, several thousand euros in cash, firearms and drugs.

Two men, aged 22 and 26, who were detained in London on suspicion of conspiring to facilitate illegal immigration, have been released on bail pending further inquiries.

Read more: Man, 89, guilty of murder after wife's body found in septic tank years after disappearance

Read more: Shaun Ryder's brother and Happy Mondays bassist dies suddenly aged 58

The major investigation began with the arrest of a suspected people-smuggling "kingpin" in the capital in May.

Iranian Hewa Rahimpur, who was living in Ilford, east London, is accused of being a leading figure in a network organising human trafficking via small boats.

The 29-year-old also appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Friday, where he consented to extradition back to Belgium, where he is wanted by the authorities.

NCA deputy director Jacque Beer said: "Our work to curtail the activities of these gangs continues and working with our European partners we are determined to do all we can to disrupt them and bring them to justice."