Eastbourne pair jailed for laundering money for people trafficking gang

A group of 13 gang members – including two from Eastbourne – who trafficked people from the Middle East into the UK have been convicted.
Alan Salam SUS-190724-150119001Alan Salam SUS-190724-150119001
Alan Salam SUS-190724-150119001

A two-year investigation, led by detectives from the South East Regional Organised Crime Unit (SEROCU), uncovered the network which specialised in facilitating the illegal movement of people from Iraq and the Kurdistan region into the UK.

Several separate trials have now taken place and, following the conclusion of the final trial at Woolwich Crown Court, the full details of investigation can now be revealed.

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The gang members were convicted of offences including conspiracy to assist in unlawful immigration, money laundering and perverting the course of justice, said police.

A SEROCU spokesperson said Alan Salam, 34, of The Rookery, Eastbourne, was found guilty of one count of converting criminal property, one count of perverting the course of justice and one count of conspiracy to pervert the court of justice.

He was sentenced to four years and three months imprisonment. He assisted with laundering money for the organised crime group and attempted to pervert the course of justice into the group.

Susan Mohammed, 36, of The Rookery, Eastbourne, found guilty of one count of perverting the course of justice and sentenced to four months imprisonment. She assisted with laundering money for the organised crime group, said SEROCU.

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Throughout the trials, the courts heard how the gang would use contacts across the UK, Europe and Asia to move people to a holding point – often in south-eastern France, said police. They were then taken by taxi to Belgium, where they would be hidden within lorries heading to the UK by ferry.

Officers said the victims would travel either in the lorry cab, on top of the cab in the wind deflector, or underneath the trailer on a pallet shelf. If they were detained in the UK, they would immediately claim asylum and be released to UK family members, who had paid the organised crime group between £8,000 and £10,000 per individual.

If they were not caught, the lorry would take the victims to meet a UK-based member of the organised crime group at service station close to ferry terminal where they would be taken away in a waiting car.

This was a ‘complex and challenging investigation’ which was led by detectives from SEROCU and involved colleagues from Sussex Police, Kent Police, Devon and Cornwall Police, West Midlands Police, Nottinghamshire Police, and UK Border Force.

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Officers said the human trafficking operation was being led by 33-year-old Alan Hoger, from Kenilworth Road, St Leonards, and 34-year-old Goran Ahmed, from Farley Bank, Hastings.

Hoger and Ahmed, who are both Kurdish, had set up operating bases in Hastings and St Leonards for their criminal enterprise but had a nationwide network of customers, money launderers and criminal associates in Eastbourne, Brighton, Bolton, Nottingham, Devon and Hul, said police.

Hoger had boasted of being a millionaire to his friends, as he laundered his profits from the organised crime group with help from his wife - through legitimate companies - back to the Kurdistan region. Throughout this investigation, a total of £144,000 in cash was seized.

Hoger was jailed for 10 years and Ahmed was jailed for eight years.

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A number of others were also jailed for their part in assisting the traffickers and attempting to disrupt the police investigation.

Today (July 24), the final two members were found guilty at Woolwich Crown Court and will be sentenced on August 12.

Detective Chief Inspector Steve May, from SEROCU’s investigations team, said, “This gang took advantage of their links to the Middle East to exploit vulnerable people for financial gain, with no concern about putting their lives in danger.

“They targeted the Kurdish community and looked to make as much profit out of every individual they could exploit. Their only concern was their profit margins.

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“They set up an elaborate network of contacts to facilitate their work, which was uncovered by SEROCU officers assisted by our colleagues in a number of police forces and other agencies. The joint approach to investigating this organised crime group was invaluable as we were dealing with offenders based all across the UK and beyond.

“We are pleased that the seriousness of this offending has been recognised by the sentences imposed by the courts.

“This case should serve as a clear warning to those involved in trafficking people into the UK. Be in no doubt, we have an extensive investigative network and range of tactics to combat such criminal activity. We will seek them out and bring them before the courts.”

Detective Superintendent Jeff Riley, Sussex Police policy lead on modern slavery, added, “This case originated in Sussex and we worked closely to support our SEROCU colleagues in their arrests of the two principals. This case illustrates once again the success of the co-ordinated law enforcement approach to organised crime groups.”