A gang of 13 - which included two men from Kent - have been jailed for a total of 45 years after trafficking people from the Middle East into the UK.

Their convictions follow a two-year investigation, led by detectives from the South East Regional Organised Crime Unit (SEROCU), which uncovered the network specialising in facilitating the illegal movement of people from Iraq and the Kurdistan region into Britain.

Several separate trials have now taken place and, following the conclusion of the final trial at Woolwich Crown Court , the full details of investigation can now be revealed.

The gang members were convicted of offences including conspiracy to assist in unlawful immigration, money laundering and perverting the course of justice.

Among those convicted is Romanian lorry driver Cristinel Samson, 50, of Grimstone Avenue, Folkestone, who was found guilty of two counts of conspiracy to assist in unlawful immigration, and sentenced to five years in prison.

Mohammed Rasul, 30, of Church Road, Ashford, was also found guilty of two counts of conspiracy to assist in unlawful immigration to the UK and sentenced to three years imprisonment.

Throughout the trials, the courts heard how the gang would use contacts across the UK, Europe and Asia to move people to a holding point - often in south-eastern France.

They were then taken by taxi to Belgium, where they would be hidden within lorries heading to the UK by ferry.

The victims would travel either in the lorry cab, on top of the cab in the wind deflector, or underneath the trailer on a pallet shelf.

If they were detained in the UK, they would immediately claim asylum and be released to UK family members, who had paid the organised crime group between £8,000 and £10,000 per person.

If they were not caught, the lorry would take the victims to meet a UK-based member of the organised crime group at service station close to ferry terminal where they would be taken away in a waiting car.

The complex investigation was led by detectives from SEROCU and involved colleagues from Sussex Police, Kent Police, Devon and Cornwall Police, West Midlands Police, Nottinghamshire Police, and UK Border Force.

Officers quickly established the human trafficking operation was led by 33-year-old Alan Hoger and 34-year-old Goran Ahmed - both from East Sussex.

Hoger and Ahmed, who are both Kurdish, had set up operating bases in Hastings and St. Leonards, in East Sussex for their criminal enterprise but had a nationwide network of customers, money launderers and criminal associates in places such as Bolton, Nottingham, Devon, Brighton, Eastbourne and Hull.

Hoger had boasted of being a millionaire to his friends, as he laundered his profits from the organised crime group with help from his wife - through legitimate companies - back to the Kurdistan region.

Throughout this investigation, a total of £144,000 in cash was seized.

Hoger was jailed for 10 years and Ahmed was jailed for eight years.

Detective Chief Inspector Steve May, from SEROCU’s investigations team, said: "This gang took advantage of their links to the Middle East to exploit vulnerable people for financial gain, with no concern about putting their lives in danger.

"They targeted the Kurdish community and looked to make as much profit out of every individual they could exploit. Their only concern was their profit margins.

"They set up an elaborate network of contacts to facilitate their work, which was uncovered by SEROCU officers assisted by our colleagues in a number of police forces and other agencies.

"The joint approach to investigating this organised crime group was invaluable as we were dealing with offenders based all across the UK and beyond.

DCI Steve May speaks of the seriousness of the human trafficking offences

"We are pleased that the seriousness of this offending has been recognised by the sentences imposed by the courts.

"This case should serve as a clear warning to those involved in trafficking people into the UK.

"Be in no doubt, we have an extensive investigative network and range of tactics to combat such criminal activity. We will seek them out and bring them before the courts.”

Details of those convicted over the course of four trials:

• 'Head of the organised crime group' Alan Hoger, 33, of Kenilworth Road, St Leonards-On-Sea, East Sussex was found guilty of four counts of conspiracy to assist in unlawful immigration to the UK and one count of conspiracy to convert criminal property. He was sentenced to a total of 10 years imprisonment.
• 'Second in command' Goran Ahmed, 34, of Farley Bank, Hastings, East Sussex was found guilty of four counts of conspiracy to assist in unlawful immigration to the UK and one count of conspiracy to convert criminal property. He was sentenced to a total of eight years imprisonment.
• Lorry driver Cristinel Samson, 50, of Grimstone Avenue, Folkestone, was found guilty of two counts of conspiracy to assist in unlawful immigration to the UK and sentenced to five years imprisonment.
• Lorry driver Ionut Cornila, 27, of Romania, was found guilty of five counts of conspiracy to assist in unlawful immigration to the UK and sentenced to four years imprisonment.
• Mohammed Rasul, 30, of Church Road, Ashford, was found guilty of two counts of conspiracy to assist in unlawful immigration to the UK and sentenced to three years imprisonment.
• Neyaz Hamasaid, 34, of Stour Street, West Bromwich, was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to assist in unlawful immigration to the UK and sentenced to three years imprisonment.
• Arie Ali, 27, of Ashton Rise, Brighton was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to assist in unlawful immigration to the UK and sentenced to three years imprisonment.
• Bakhtyar Mohammed, 46, of Netherfield Road, Bolton was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to convert criminal property and sentenced to 12 months imprisonment, suspended for two years.
• Kveta Conkova, 31, of Kenilworth Road, St Leonards-On-Sea, East Sussex was found guilty of one count of converting criminal property and sentenced to three years and six months imprisonment. She is the wife of Alan Hoger and assisted with laundering money for the organised crime group.
• Alan Salam, 34, of The Rookery, Eastbourne, East Sussex was found guilty of one count of converting criminal property, one count of perverting the course of justice and one count of conspiracy to pervert the court of justice. He was sentenced to four years and three months imprisonment.
• Susan Mohammed, 36, of The Rookery, Eastbourne, East Sussex was found guilty of one count of perverting the course of justice and sentenced to four months imprisonment.
• Kaiwan Ali, 36, and Ari Ako, 37, both of Dryden Street, Nottingham were found guilty of perverting the course of justice and will be sentenced on August 12.

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