Hem Raj, 24, has been found guilty under new UK laws regarding illegal immigration advertisements

Los Angeles/Sept 18, 2026
NRIpress.club/Ramesh/ A.Gary Singh

Hem Raj, 24, Indian national, has become the first person charged in a National Crime Agency investigation under a new UK law targeting the online advertising of illegal immigration services.

Raj, who is based in Smethwick in the West Midlands, was arrested on September 15 by officers from the National Crime Agency and West Midlands Police. Authorities said they discovered social media posts allegedly offering advice relating to fraudulent visa and asylum applications.

He has been charged under Section 17 of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Act 2025, which creates an offence relating to the online promotion of unlawful immigration services. He also faces a separate charge of allegedly providing immigration advice without the required authorisation under the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.

The NCA said this is the first time the new Section 17 offence has been used in one of its investigations. Raj appeared before Birmingham Magistrates’ Court on September 16, and the case remains subject to court proceedings. The allegations have not been proven.

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