Three Men Charged With People Trafficking Through Kent

Three men have been jailed after being charged with people smuggling.

The London-based gang used motorway service stations to move migrants into London through Kent, charging people £11,000 each to get into the UK. Migrants were transported in the back of lorries and then passed onto different vehicles via service stations in Kent and around the M25, before being taken into London.

During their investigation officers uncovered CCTV footage which showed they were then transferred to other vehicles before being taken into London.

Mobile phone data revealed the co-ordination between the smugglers and HGV drivers.

Detectives established up to 20 Albanian nationals were brought into London through the gang in the 18 months they operated. However, in reality the figure is likely to be many more.

At Southwark Crown Court on Friday, 27 March, three defendants were sentenced for conspiracy to facilitate a breach of UK immigration law by a non-UK national.

Toni Liko, 42 of Ealing Road, Wembley was sentenced to five years and eight months
Klement Gjika, 44, of Hemingford Road, Islington was sentenced to five years and eight months
Stelian Bodnariu, 37, of Park Way, Edgware was sentenced to three years and four months

Acting Detective Inspector Stuart Jack, who led the investigation, said ‘The team worked tirelessly to put these three criminals behind bars, where they can no longer exploit vulnerable people. Our investigation has shown that, ultimately, this case was all to do with money – an illegal money-making conspiracy, driven entirely by profit. We know that people smuggled into the UK are often exploited further when they arrive or are forced to work for the organised criminal networks who brought them over, therefore driving further crime in the capital and beyond.’