Two members of an organised-immigration-crime network have been jailed for masterminding a series of clandestine journeys that brought at least 22 Vietnamese nationals into Britain during the summer of 2020. National Crime Agency (NCA) investigators told Birmingham Crown Court that Duc Quang Ta, 36, of Reading, acted as the “operations manager”, matching would-be migrants with HGV drivers willing to conceal them in refrigerated trailers crossing the Channel by ferry and through the Channel Tunnel. Sarfaraz Sardarzehi, 58, of London, was described as the gang’s on-the-ground “taxi driver”, meeting the lorries on the south coast and whisking migrants to safe houses in Kent and the Midlands, while also moving large sums of cash. Encrypted phone records showed that between 18 August and 6 September 2020 the pair helped facilitate at least 16 attempts, referring to migrants as “chicken”, “pork” and “things” and to the police as “dogs”.
If your organisation needs to move staff around the globe in full compliance with UK immigration rules, VisaHQ can streamline every stage of the visa process. From advising on the correct documentation to tracking application timelines and renewals, the service gives mobility managers a single, audited platform that helps prevent costly mistakes and penalties.
Surrey Police stopped Ta on the M25 with £56,000 in cash; West Midlands officers intercepted Sardarzehi the next day with three migrants in his car. On 10 July 2026 Judge Ian Bond sentenced Ta to eight years’ imprisonment and Sardarzehi to two years, suspended for two, after a jury convicted both of people-smuggling and money-laundering offences in February. NCA branch commander Sara-Jayne Moore said the case highlights the agency’s “100 ongoing investigations into the top tier of organised immigration crime”, adding that hiding migrants in lorry fridges “shows utter contempt for human life”. For corporate mobility managers, the case is a reminder that the Home Office and NCA are intensifying efforts against clandestine entry routes. Companies using road freight between the EU and UK should ensure hauliers follow the Civil Penalties Code of Practice (updated 13 February 2026) to avoid heavy fines if migrants are found in their vehicles. Employers should also expect heightened spot checks on right-to-work documents as pressure builds to deter illegal working that funds organised crime.
If your organisation needs to move staff around the globe in full compliance with UK immigration rules, VisaHQ can streamline every stage of the visa process. From advising on the correct documentation to tracking application timelines and renewals, the service gives mobility managers a single, audited platform that helps prevent costly mistakes and penalties.
Surrey Police stopped Ta on the M25 with £56,000 in cash; West Midlands officers intercepted Sardarzehi the next day with three migrants in his car. On 10 July 2026 Judge Ian Bond sentenced Ta to eight years’ imprisonment and Sardarzehi to two years, suspended for two, after a jury convicted both of people-smuggling and money-laundering offences in February. NCA branch commander Sara-Jayne Moore said the case highlights the agency’s “100 ongoing investigations into the top tier of organised immigration crime”, adding that hiding migrants in lorry fridges “shows utter contempt for human life”. For corporate mobility managers, the case is a reminder that the Home Office and NCA are intensifying efforts against clandestine entry routes. Companies using road freight between the EU and UK should ensure hauliers follow the Civil Penalties Code of Practice (updated 13 February 2026) to avoid heavy fines if migrants are found in their vehicles. Employers should also expect heightened spot checks on right-to-work documents as pressure builds to deter illegal working that funds organised crime.
