A court in Bruges has sentenced three Iraqi nationals to up to eight years in prison for human trafficking.
They attempted to smuggle refugees to the United Kingdom in exchange for large sums of money and hid children and families in refrigerated containers.
The investigation began on 28 April 2023 when an Iraqi family, including a three-year-old child, was found in a lorry loaded with vehicles bound for the UK. The victims had been hidden earlier that night in Froyennes, near Tournai.
This case was linked to a previous incident on 20 March 2023, when five Iraqi nationals, including children aged four to seven, were discovered in a refrigerated container in Zeebrugge. The victims were seated on the cargo and were extremely cold.
Investigators found that a smuggling gang used this motorway area for their operations. The victims’ phones provided leads to the suspects.
A number traced to Iraq led the Dutch police to the main suspect, a 36-year-old Iraqi man, who was arrested in the Netherlands on 22 November 2023. He had previously served two years in prison in France for smuggling activities and was known to UK authorities.
Two other suspects, aged 35 and 41, were arrested on 23 November 2023 in Froyennes after unsuccessfully attempting to hide in a technical room under a bridge.
The investigation revealed that the suspects had trafficked at least 54 undocumented individuals, charging up to £12,000 (approximately €14,500). The victims were transported to the UK in refrigerated containers or vans.
The main suspect denied some charges, claiming he was not a central figure. The other two defendants also denied being smugglers.
The court found that the main suspect could not be linked to the incidents on 20 and 24 March 2023 but sentenced him for trafficking at least 49 other victims to eight years in prison and fined him €392,000.
The other two suspects were sentenced to five years with one year suspended and four years, with only time already served being effective, respectively. All three were stripped of their civil rights for 10 years.
