British pensioner jailed for four years after being caught smuggling two migrants into UK in the boot of his car

A British pensioner who tried to smuggle two Afghan migrants into the UK in the boot of his car has been sentenced to four years in prison.

British Border Force caught Rashida Ayub, 69, and his two hidden passengers as they tried to pass through border control at Coquelles, near Calais.

When the Afghan nationals were found in the trunk of Ayub’s Kia Sportage, the pensioner was arrested on the spot.

An investigation into his finances and mobile phone records revealed two other members of his people-smuggling gang: Jumagaul Mohamadi, 57, and Wshiar Sarteep, 31.

In addition to Ayub’s four-year sentence, Mohamadi and Sarteep were each sentenced to 32 months in prison, following a trial at Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester.

An investigation into his finances and mobile phone records uncovered two more members of his people smuggling gang: Jumagaul Mohamadi (left), 57, and Wshiar Sarteep (right), 31

The trio’s trial at Minshull Street Crown Court (below) in Manchester was postponed twice due to Covid-19, and more than seven years have now passed since Ayub was arrested.

The court heard how British Border Force officers discovered the migrants on January 29, 2017, during a search of Ayub’s car, which was en route to the UK.

His trial and that of his supporters were postponed twice due to Covid-19.

Their conviction is the latest development in a wide-ranging investigation launched by Home Office Criminal and Financial investigators into people smuggling routes into the UK.

Paul Moran, the Home Office’s Supervisor of Criminal Investigation, said: ‘Thousands of pounds were exchanged to smuggle these people into the country, with total disregard for their safety and welfare. They were crammed into the boot of a car so it would close.

‘As with many smuggling operations we encounter, the only priority of these criminals is financial gain, at the expense of those they exploit under false promises. I am pleased that our teams have stopped them from succeeding.

‘We continue to work tirelessly to secure our borders and tackle the gangs that ruthlessly endanger vulnerable people to make money.’

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British pensioner jailed for four years after being caught smuggling two migrants into UK in the boot of his car