Five east London taxi drivers 'involved in people smuggling operation which ferried migrants in and out of UK using lorries' appear in court
- The charges follow the National Crime Agency probe Operation Symbolry
- The probe was into a London-based gang involved in smuggling migrants
- The five men are aged between 40 and 52 and all living in east London
- They appeared at Barkingside Magistrates Court and were bailed
Five London taxi drivers charged with people smuggling offences have appeared in court.
The charges follow a National Crime Agency (NCA) probe, code-named Operation Symbolry, into a London-based gang involved in smuggling migrants in and out of the UK using lorries.
The five men, aged between 40 and 52 and all living in east London, appeared at Barkingside Magistrates Court.
Alauddin Ahmad, 49, of Shadwell, east London, is charged with five counts of conspiring to facilitate illegal immigration.
The five men, aged between 40 and 52 and all living in east London, appeared at Barkingside Magistrates Court (pictured)
Ahknu Hussain, 48, of Spitalfields, east London, is charged with four counts of conspiring to facilitate illegal immigration.
Amran Hussain, 40, of Bromley-by-Bow, Fozol Miah, 41, of Ilford, and 52-year-old Kaysor Miah, of Poplar, all east London, are each charged with one count of conspiring to facilitate illegal immigration.
They were all bailed to appear before Snaresbrook Crown Court later this month.
The taxi drivers are accused of moving migrants to and from rendezvous points with HGVs which would then be used to smuggle them across the Channel. A number of the lorries were later intercepted by the NCA.
Most watched News videos
- Moment suspect is arrested after hospital knife rampage in China
- Rescuers search for boy thrown into crocodile-infested river
- Chaos in UK airports as nationwide IT system crashes causing delays
- Harry arrives at Invictus Games event after flying back to the UK
- Moment Kadyrov 'struggles to climb stairs' at Putin's inauguration
- 'It took me an hour and a half': Passenger describes UK airport outage
- Guy Monson last spotted attending Princess Diana's statue unveiling
- Harry arrives at Invictus Games event after flying back to the UK
- Terrifying moment truck goes off road and plows spectators
- Bystanders film scene where man was shot in Soho
- Ukrainian 'draft dodger' dresses as woman in attempt to flee country
- IDF troops enter Gazan side of Rafah Crossing with flag flying