A people-smuggling ring which exploited Kent’s borders to put Albanians to work in cannabis factories has been smashed.

Dimitraki Nika and Arlin Leka’s gang hid the men in a void behind the driver’s bunk during trips across the Channel into Dover.

The people - who paid up to £24,000 per crossing - were then farmed out to cannabis factories across the south east and Northamptonshire in 2020.

Service stations on the M20 in Kent and the M25 were used as collection points, from where the Albanians were picked up and moved elsewhere.

A gang of seven men involved in the conspiracy were jailed for a total of 24 years at Snaresbrook Crown Court yesterday.

The court heard detectives first targeted the smugglers as they operated in Southgate, north London, and motorway service areas in Kent, the south east and Wellingborough in Lincolnshire.

Meanwhile a police probe into a number of cannabis factories - which have since been shut down - across Brent in London revealled workers had been transported into the country illegally.

The force would soon unearth a complex conspiracy, where legitimate Romanian haulage firms were used to enter Dover from Dunkirk and Calais at unusual times with hidden Albanians stowed.

These vehicles then stopped at services on their legitimate routes in the South East of England and were met by an individual linked to the gang.

The smuggled people would then be seen to leave the lorry with the driver and meet a gang representative.

On one occasion, a goods driver was given a small package before returning to his vehicle and leaving the venue, continuing on his route, the court heard.

The smuggled men would then travel with the gang representative, usually returning to the Southgate area, before being passed on to other Albanians.

Chris Foster, deputy director from the Home Office’s Criminal and Financial Investigation unit, said: “This organised crime group is now behind bars thanks to the work between the Home Office and Metropolitan Police.

“We will continue to work closely with our policing partners to disrupt people-smuggling gangs and ensure those who abuse our laws face the consequences of their crimes.”

With the evidence gathered, officers executed search warrants in Barnet and Enfield in London and Northamptonshire. The seven were charged with offences in May 2021 and later appeared at Snaresbrook court.

Three of the offenders immediately pleaded guilty to their part in the conspiracy.

Dimitraki Nika, 35, a Greek national of Newsholme Drive, Enfield, was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment for his part - travelling to the service areas and receiving the men.

Arlin Leka, 29, an Albanian national of Ashfield Parade, Southgate, pleaded guilty to his part in the conspiracy of arranging the passages into the UK and travelling to the service areas to receive the men.

He also admitted possession of criminal property, namely £13,000 cash. He was sentenced to six years’ imprisonment.

Doru-Emil Moldovan, 32, a Romanian national of an unknown address pleaded guilty to his part in the conspiracy as a lorry driver.

He also admitted possession of criminal property, namely £9,980 cash. He was sentenced to 20 months’ imprisonment.

Four other members of the organised criminal group were found guilty on May 26 of conspiracy to facilitate breaching of UK immigration law after a six-week trial at Snaresbrook.

One was Kristian Agolli, 35 of Dudrich Mews, Enfield, who was found guilty of conspiracy for his part in receiving smuggled males. He was sentenced to three years’ and three months’ imprisonment;

Aldis Cseplye, 33, of Pembroke Road, Hornsey, north London, was found guilty of conspiracy for his part in receiving smuggled males. He was sentenced to two years and nine months’ imprisonment;

Sorin Holerca, 40, of High Street, Swanscombe, was found guilty of conspiracy for his part in co-ordinating transport. He was sentenced to four years’ and six months’ imprisonment;

Jozef Szekely, 33, a Romanian resident of an unknown address, was found guilty of conspiracy for his part as a lorry driver. He was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment.

One man who travelled illegally to the UK was also arrested on May 15, 2021 as part of the investigation. He received a custodial sentence after pleading guilty to entering the UK against a deportation order. He had previously been deported from the UK.

A number of other Albanian males were discovered in two addresses in Wellingborough that day, they were dealt with by the UK’s Immigration Service.

It is believed none of the other Albanian males who illegally entered the UK were victims of human trafficking. They paid the organised crime group between £20,000 and £24,000 in cash to travel to the UK.

Detectives from the Metropolitan Police’s Specialist Crime Command with the Home Office Immigration Enforcement and Border Force, carried out a complex investigation which identified the men conspiring to traffic illegal immigrants into the UK between Friday, January 1, and Saturday, May 15 2021.

Det Con Steve Willis, from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command, said: "This case highlights the united front of law enforcement.

“This was a highly complex, protracted investigation which would not have been possible without the support of Lincolnshire Police and our partners at the Home Office.

“The investigation utilised different investigation techniques and has dismantled a criminal network bringing young Albanian males into the UK illegally.”