Suspected Yorkshire boss of people-smuggling ring charged

A MAN from Hull suspected of being the head of an international people-smuggling operation has been arrested and charged as part of a joint operation between British and Dutch police.
By The Newsroom
Published 1st Oct 2013, 09:44 BST
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Ali Mohammed Raza, 38, was arrested in Hull and charged with four counts of facilitating illegal entry, plus conspiracy to facilitate illegal entry. His arrest is connected to the discovery of four teenage girls in the Netherlands, who were found in the back of a van which was headed for the UK.

Three men were also detained in the van.

The arrests took place as part of a joint operation between the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA), the Royal Marechaussee in the Netherlands and Humberside Police. Officers searched two businesses in Hull connected to Raza, the Superstar hand car wash in Hedon Road and the Posh hand car wash in Stoneferry Road, on Thursday, the same day he was arrested.

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After being charged on Friday, Raza, from Brendon Avenue, appeared at Hull Magistrates’ Court on Saturday and was remanded in custody.

SOCA officers are seeking to extradite the three men arrested in the Netherlands back to the UK and European arrest warrants have been issued.

Detective Inspector Mike Reed from the Humberside Police Serious Crime Section said “This type of crime is not victimless and is generally aimed at vulnerable individuals that are looking for a better life.”

Herald Meijer, from the Royal Marechaussee’s Organised Crime Unit, said: “We look forward to working with the UK’s National Crime Agency and our other partners in the fight against criminals who try to smuggle people for large sums of money.

“This is something we will never tolerate and, therefore, combat-
ing this is one of our top priorities.”