Human trafficking mastermind who smuggled hundreds into UK jailed for 10 years

Mohammed Hossain was sentenced to 10 and a half years in jail on Monday. NCA

The mastermind of a massive human trafficking operation that smuggled hundreds of migrants into to the UK has been jailed for 10 years.

Mohammed Hossain, 54, is believed to have made £1 million from his criminal activity, which involved overseeing a gang that used a network of lorry drivers across the English Channel.

As well as trafficking migrants into the UK, he was also involved smuggling fugitives who were wanted for serious crimes, including child abuse and murder, out of the UK.

Hossain co-ordinated the movements of drivers and arranged for taxis to drop off migrants at their pick-up locations.

His gang charged £15,000 to enter the UK and £1,000 to leave, with the proceeds helping to fund a lavish lifestyle that included luxury cars and private school education for his children.

Hossain, from east London, was arrested in May 2021 following an investigation by the National Crime Agency which involved the use of surveillance and undercover officers.

Video from the moment of his arrest released by the NCA shows a lorry being searched and found to contain a group of migrants hiding behind a large crate.

The group are seen slowly putting their hands above their heads as they are ordered out of the vehicle by police.

NCA senior investigating officer Chris Hill said after the conclusion of the case on Monday: “Our investigation has successfully dismantled this people-smuggling network from top to bottom, including the organisers, middle men and lorry drivers being used.

“We believe they smuggled hundreds of people into and out of the UK, including fugitives wanted for murder and child abuse offences.

“People smugglers don’t care about safety or border security – they just see people as a commodity to be profited from. This can have fatal consequences, which is why tackling it is such a priority for the NCA.”

Hossain, who also ran a Bangladeshi café, worked with his right-hand man Noor Ullah, 30, and surveillance teams witnessed them having numerous meetings and being in regular phone contact.

The moment Hossain's right-hand man Noor Ullah was arrested. NCA

Following his arrest Hossain admitted conspiring with Ullah to move people into and out of the UK between December 2018 and May 2021, but he continued to deny being the head of the crime group.

This was rejected by judge Sandy Canavan when the case came to court, who described his story as a “tissue of lies” and told him that “you have lied time and time again”.

“Dishonesty, greed and wickedness have led you to where you are today,” the judge said, jailing Hossain for 10 and a half years.

When NCA investigators moved in to arrest Hossain and Ullah, they also uncovered a safe house in Bethnal Green, east London, which was used to accommodate people being smuggled.

The property had been converted to accommodate at least 19 people, with bunk beds filling every room.

As part of the operation five lorry drivers have also been convicted of people-smuggling offences.

They include Turkish lorry driver Hakan Zengin, who was arrested in March 2021 with seventeen migrants in his lorry. He pleaded guilty to immigration offences and was sentenced to two-and-a-half years.