A twenty five year old Afghan man has been charged with assisting unlawful immigration following his arrest in Belfast as part of a National Crime Agency investigation into suspected cross border people smuggling, the agency stated.
Abad Ulla Alimi, who lives in Dublin, was detained at Grand Central station on 19 November after arriving by train from Dublin with four Afghan nationals. Home Office Immigration Enforcement officers identified him at the station as a suspected facilitator.
According to the release, the group included a couple and two young children believed to be attempting to enter the United Kingdom illegally via the Common Travel Area.
The agency says the family travelled from France to the Republic of Ireland before continuing by rail to Belfast, where they were believed to be planning onward travel to England. Alimi was taken into custody, questioned by NCA officers and charged on 20 November. He was due to appear at Laganside Magistrates Court on 21 November. The family was transferred to immigration authorities.
NCA Belfast Branch Commander David Cunningham said “tackling organised immigration crime remains a top priority for the NCA” and noted that the investigation is one of roughly one hundred targeting upper tier networks or individuals. He added that the agency is working with partners to prevent exploitation of the Common Travel Area and will take action wherever possible.
