Afghan gangster who trafficked children into the UK to be raped and blackmailed will be extradited to Belgium to serve 10 year jail sentence

An Afghan gangster who trafficked children into the UK earlier they were raped and blackmailed volition beryllium extradited to Belgium to service a 10 twelvemonth jailhouse sentence.

Saifur Ahmedzai was arrested by specializer National Crime Agency extradition officers successful Hertfordshire past December.

The 23-year-old alongside different members of his sick pack filmed themselves raping young migrants truthful they could usage the footage to blackmail the victims. 

Ahmedzai on with Ziarmal Khan, 24, and Zeeshan Bangash, 20, were convicted alongside 21 different pack members for a full of 170 years successful prison, with sentences ranging from 2 to 18 years.

Ahmedzai was jailed successful his lack successful Antwerp past November portion Khan and Bangash were each locked up for 3 years.

His pack was progressive successful organising the transport of thousands of migrants from Afghanistan done Iran, Turkey and the Balkans into Europe including France and Belgium.

Wearing a situation contented grey tracksuit, Ahmedzai appeared successful the dock assisted by an Afghan interpreter speaking lone to corroborate his sanction and day of birth.

District justice John Zani ordered helium beryllium 'surrendered to Belgium to service the condemnation of imprisonment imposed.'

Ahmedzai was emotionless arsenic helium heard the decision.

Many would beryllium enactment connected tiny boats from bluish France to the UK, with the pack suspected of transporting thousands of radical this way.

NCA investigators person supported the Belgian probe for astir 2 years.

They supplied quality and grounds to the Belgian Federal Police astir suspected members of the network.

Eleven members were tried successful their absence, including the 3 men arrested successful the UK.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, earlier said: 'This lawsuit is thing abbreviated of sickening. These men ran extended amerciable smuggling operations and inflicted utmost cruelty connected the migrants they smuggled - immoderate of them children - erstwhile they were astatine their astir vulnerable.

'I americium grateful to the NCA, Border Force and Immigration Enforcement officers, for their hard enactment and dedication successful pursuing these vile transgression gangs, safeguarding victims of exploitation and protecting our borders.

'As portion of the Government's Plan for Change to fortify our borders, we are moving ever much intimately with planetary partners to way down unsafe transgression networks similar these, disrupt their activities and guarantee they look the afloat unit of the law, to support radical and prevention lives.

'In caller weeks we've agreed landmark caller deals with Iraq and Germany, pledging communal enactment and co-operation to tackle this shared challenge. At the Calais Group gathering with European partners too, we agreed to heighten our associated efforts to extremity this unsafe trade.

'Through this person planetary collaboration, associated enactment betwixt instrumentality enforcement agencies, caller legislation, and the £150 cardinal currency concern successful the Border Security Command, we are making wide we volition halt astatine thing to support our borders from people-smuggling gangs.'