A man from West Drayton has been jailed for 11 years after helping to smuggle Indian nationals into the country, according to police.

Fahmi Hakim, 32, of East Road, originally from Iraq, was part of a nine-person gang who illegally smuggled people into the UK, police said.

Burhan Abdul Sheikhany, 29, of High Street, Feltham, was also sentenced - to 12 years behind bars - for his involvement with the gang.

According to the Met, Hakim was sentenced to 11 years in prison after being found guilty following a trial. He was sentenced on September 4 at Southwark Crown Court for conspiracy to facilitate a breach of immigration law, possession of criminal property, and five counts of false imprisonment.

The immigrants each paid around £10,000 to agents in India with the remaining £10,000 to be paid upon arrival in the UK, police said. It was agreed that they would be handed over to Major Bajwa and Kuldeep Singh, who arranged the smuggling.

Some of the group, however, held the victims captive at a flat in Edmonton and demanded more money from the pair, police said.

On November 5 last year, police received a call from a man who claimed that a number of people were being held hostage at an address and would not be released unless a ransom of £10,000 was paid for each victim.

The Met's Trafficking and Kidnap Unit launched an operation to locate and rescue the victims, quickly uncovering that members of the criminal gang had fallen out with each other.

One member of the people smuggling group coerced a relative into calling police in an attempt to have his co-conspirators arrested, but it was quickly established that he was behind the call and was arrested himself.

The investigation led to other members of the gang being arrested, with over £80,000 in cash seized during the course of the investigation.

According to the Met, the victims have been referred to the Home Office.

Also sentenced were the following, in September, who all pleaded guilty:

  • Major Bajwa, 44, of Collier Row Road, Romford, jailed for nine years
  • Kuldeep Singh, 37, of Wednesbury, West Midlands, jailed for nine years
  • Soran Rasul, 29, of Plowman Close, Edmonton, jailed for 12 years
  • Bijar Sheikha, 27, also of Plowman Close, Edmonton, jailed for 12 years
  • Liaqat Jabbarkhel, 23, no fixed address, jailed for 12 years
  • Barzan Kamal, 28, of North Luton Place, Adamsdown, Cardiff, jailed for 12 years in his absence was sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment in his absence. A warrant for Kamal's arrest was issued after he absconded while the jury considered their verdict against him
  • Karzan Rasoul, 24, of Dryden Close, Maldon, Essex, jailed for 12 years

Speaking after the sentencing, Investigating officer Detective Constable Kieran Backhouse said: "I am very pleased with the sentencing which sends out a strong message that people smugglers face the full might of the law and can expect substantial jails terms."