People smuggler who sent people from UK to France ‘boasted about business in voice note’

A 25-year-old people smuggler who boasted about the business transporting people from the UK to France in the back of lorries has been jailed.Jaskirat Singh was sentenced to five years and three months in prison at Canterbury Crown Court on Thursday for conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration to a member state, over arranging the travel for Indian nationals to the continent between December 2024 and March 2026.Evidence seized from phones showed messages organising transport, videos of large quantities of £20 notes spread on a bed and a TikTok account apparently advertising cross-Channel journeys.

In a voice note, Singh claims he has been doing this for four years, sending 60 people per week to France over nine months, believed to be in attempt to persuade someone to become involved in the logistics of the “highly organised conspiracy”.Judge Alison Russell said it appears Singh’s business model was transporting 15 people at a time in HGVs to France, with his involvement being through the logistics with drivers for pick up and drop offs rather than recruitment of migrants to travel.It is believed he earned more than £185,000 through the endeavour.

Judge Russell said: “Evidence from devices show you were therefore the coordinator, the logistics manager for the business.“The offending was repeated over a sustained period and I’m satisfied associated with significant financial gain.“You were well aware of the degree of organisation and even if you were not at the very top of the chain you played an important logistical role.”

open image in galleryIt is believed Singh earned more than £185,000 through the endeavour (PA)She added that of the harm of concealing people in HGVs in “unsafe and cramped conditions” comes with significant risks, and there was a suggestion children may have been involved.Defending Singh, Talbir Singh KC told the court the defendant came to the UK aged 18 as an Italian national after his family moved from India to Italy, where he spent the majority of his life.He stayed with his aunt and uncle in the UK as an adult where he worked in the country legally, and it was during his time working in construction earning £4,000 to £4,500 a month he met many of his co-conspirators, Mr Singh said.

“It does seem incongruous he has allowed himself to enter a conspiracy where he had no real financial need to do so,” he said.His defence lawyer said there is suggestion he did not have complete control of his bank accounts, adding there is “good evidence he was a subordinate, not the architect of a conspiracy”.Singh, of Goldthorn Hill, Wolverhampton, who was aided by a Punjabi interpreter in court, had pleaded guilty to the single charge earlier this month.

Following the sentencing, Crown Prosecution Service’s Peter Cockrill said: “Jaskirat Singh played a key role in organising the illegal movement of people from the UK to France using lorries, putting individuals at serious risk in the process.“The evidence showed he was co-ordinating drivers, arranging payments and actively involved in a sustained operation over many months.“We will now apply for a confiscation order to recover as much of his criminal profit as possible.”