UK NRI to pay £303,368 for smuggling illegal migrants from India into Britain

Daubhill, UK, Dec. 20, 2008
Sant Ahuja

NRI Asif Patel, 32, who was a major player in an international people smuggling operation, jailed for five years in April, has been asked to pay £303,368 by January 31, or face a further five years in prison. He owned a mobile phone shop at Daubhill, North England and found guilty as one of the six people convicted in January of smuggling illegal migrants from India into Britain.

According to court documents, Patel sent money to contacts in India who recruited the clients, using a money exchange bureau. Each of the illegal migrants smuggled into the UK reportedly paid around 8,000 pounds. In 2006, his house on Croston Street was raided for illegal immigration.

His smuggling gang team members were Sajid Bhikhi, Asif Bhikhi, Sikandar Patel, Soyab Patel and Sabbir Patel were also charged for different terms of imprisonment. First they bring Indian citizens to Africa, forged South African passports, stole documents and bring to Britain as visitors for a period of six months.

In 1999, the investigation started when an illegal passport-making factory was discovered under a staircase in a house in Leicester

Through a corrupt official at the Heathrow airport in UK, the Indian nationals were also brought into Britain and then facilitated to travel to Canada or the US.

Asif Patel was jailed for five years in April and asked more than £300,000 by January 31