Three Afghan nationals arrested for smuggling migrants and abusing minors in a shocking case that has drawn international attention
London: So, there’s this really disturbing story coming out of the UK. Three guys, all from Afghanistan, have been arrested for smuggling thousands of migrants and doing some truly awful things to young boys.
These guys were caught after they skipped out on their sentencing in Belgium. The first one, a 24-year-old named Ziarmal Khan, got nabbed at Stansted Airport for a domestic violence issue. Then, they caught another guy, Zeeshan Banghis, at a place in Southwark.
Finally, they tracked down Saifur Rahman Ahmedzai in Hemel Hempstead. Prosecutors in Belgium say this gang was moving people from Afghanistan through a bunch of countries, all the way to western Europe, mainly France and Belgium.
They’re also accused of bringing loads of people from northern France to the UK on small boats. It’s just heartbreaking to think about what these guys did to young migrant boys, including recording their abuse and using that footage to blackmail them.
The National Crime Agency (NCA) has been working with Belgian police for about two years to gather evidence against these guys. In court, the trio and 20 others got a total of 170 years in prison, with sentences ranging from two to 18 years.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper called the whole situation “sickening.” She praised the hard work of the NCA and other agencies for going after these criminals and trying to protect vulnerable people.
It’s a tough reminder of the dark side of human trafficking and the lengths some will go to exploit others. Let’s hope justice is served and these guys face the consequences of their actions.
