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Asains found guilty of smuggling migrants to UK

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A 38-year-old Asian-origin man has been found guilty of being part of an organised crime group linked to the prolific smuggling of migrants, including minors, to the UK.

Najib Khan, 38, from Ilford was identified as being part of the network by the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA), following the arrest of his co-conspirator Waqas Ikram, 40, in March 2021.

Ikram, who was caught red-handed attempting to break into a heavy goods vehicle to put migrants inside, worked for a people smuggling organised crime group headed by Mokter Hossain.

An iPhone belonging to Ikram, seized following his arrest, contained numerous conversations with Khan outlining their involvement in a separate people smuggling network, charging migrants up to 7,000 pounds a head to bring them to the UK, the NCA said in a statement.

Phone evidence showed that Khan and Ikram had been involved in a successful crossing involving five migrants being transported into Harwich in March 2019, and two other attempts that had been foiled by border agents.

The first of these was in May 2019, when 15 Vietnamese and one Afghan migrant were found in a lorry at the Hook of Holland as it prepared to board a ferry to Harwich.

In the same year in August, 16 migrants including 11 minors, were rescued from a purpose built concealment in a lorry carrying 2,000 loose tyres.

The lorry was preparing to board a ferry from Dieppe to Newhaven, and officers reported the heat and the nature of the concealment made breathing difficult.

The lorry drivers involved in both would later be jailed in the Netherlands and France, but the NCA was able to prove Ikram’s crime group had been involved in both attempts.

Further conversations between Khan and Ikram showed they were using GPS trackers to follow lorries that they had arranged to be broken into without drivers’ knowledge to stow migrants.

One of the trackers was found at Khan’s house when he was arrested by the NCA. In 2020, Khan and Ikram purchased a rigid hull inflatable boat for the purpose of smuggling migrants, and Ikram attended a course for piloting powerboats that June, the NCA said.

In July, the pair were encountered by Border Force off the coast of Suffolk in their RHIB.

They told officers they were scouting for scuba diving sites, and returned to Walton-on-the-Naze.

“Ikram and Khan had no regard for the safety and security of those they were transporting, they were only interested in making money from them,” NCA branch commander Andy Noyes said in a statement.

“In at least one case it was only the fact that the migrants were discovered by border agents that prevented them being left in what could have been an incredibly dangerous, and potential fatal, situation,” Noyes added.

Ikram was arrested by the NCA in 2021, charged with people smuggling offences and released on bail by the court. Both he and Khan were detained in connection with further offences by the NCA in July 2022 and charged with three counts of conspiring to facilitate illegal immigration.

While Ikram pleaded guilty to the charge, Khan went to trial, following which a jury at Reading Crown Court on Friday found him guilty on all three counts.

They will be sentenced on October 30.

Crime

Mumbai Police Arrest Nalasopara-Based Auto Driver For Molesting 15-Year-Old Girl In Borivali

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Mumbai: Mumbai Police have arrested an auto driver from Nalasopara (East) in connection with the molestation of a student in Borivali. Naresh Moti Singh (44), a resident of Gorai, had been absconding.

About The Incident

The incident occurred on August 31 when the accused allegedly molested the 15-year-old girl while she was on her way to school. The rickshaw driver abruptly halted the vehicle and tried to touch the girl. She immediately objected and screamed loudly. Neighbors, alerted by her cries, rushed to the scene, but the driver had already escaped.

The police then filed a case against the unidentified driver under the relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

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Crime

Nagpur: Bar Brawl Captured on CCTV as Men Attack Bartender, Customers Flee in Panic

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In a deeply unsettling incident that has sent shockwaves through the local community, the Yoga Bar Restaurant in the Kadri area of Nagpur was violently attacked by armed individuals on [insert date]. The restaurant, located within the jurisdiction of Kanhan Police Station, witnessed a horrifying scene as the attackers caused significant damage and terrorized both staff and patrons.

The Attack

The violent unfolded in broad daylight, with CCTV footage capturing the full extent of the assault. According to the footage, a group of armed assailants, wielding swords and sticks, stormed the Yoga Bar Restaurant. Their brazen attack included smashing furniture, shattering glassware, and creating an atmosphere of intense fear. The bar owner was reportedly targeted with threats and intimidation, further escalating the chaos.

The footage reveals the attackers moving through the restaurant with alarming aggression, creating a scene of mayhem that left patrons scrambling for safety. The violent nature of the assault has raised concerns about the increasing frequency of such incidents in the region.

Response and Investigation

Local law enforcement, led by the Kanhan Police Station, responded swiftly to the incident. Officers have secured the crime scene and are analyzing the CCTV footage to identify and apprehend the perpetrators. The investigation is underway, focusing on uncovering the motive behind the attack and bringing those responsible to justice.

Authorities have appealed to the public for any additional information that might assist in their investigation. They are also conducting interviews with witnesses and restaurant staff to piece together the events leading up to and following the attack.

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Crime

Mumbai: 26-Year-Old Student Charged With Attempted Murder 2 Years After Allegedly Pushing Girlfriend Off 18-Foot-High Water Tank In Borivali

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Mumbai: A sessions court has framed charges against 26-year-old student Amey Darekar almost two years after he was arrested for allegedly pushing his girlfriend off the water tank of a Dahisar high-rise. The court said there is sufficient evidence to charge him with an attempt to murder.

Darekar had last year sought discharge from the case claiming that he had not pushed the girl and that he has been implicated on the basis of assumption. On Monday, he decided to not proceed with the discharge plea after a year of filing and chose to face trial.

The court framed the charges observing that after considering the record and documents and after hearing the submissions of the parties, there was sufficient ground for presuming that the accused had committed offence of attempting to murder.

About The Incident

As per the prosecution case, Munish Singh, father of Darekar’s girlfriend, Priyangi, had lodged a complaint that Priyangi and Darekar met on November 13, 2022, between 4.30 pm and 8 pm on the roof of La Belleza Cooperative at Borivali (East) and consumed alcohol. The two later had a quarrel and Darekar allegedly assaulted Priyangi and pushed her off the 18-foot-high water tank. Priyangi sustained multiple injuries as a result of the fall. Darekar’s mother later took her to hospital. Though Priyangi in her statement ruled out any involvement of Darekar, her father lodged a complaint of attempt to murder.

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