Men who brought 100 migrants to Europe each week in ‘Tripadvisor for people smugglers’ scheme jailed
Men Who Operated ‘Tripadvisor for People Smugglers’ Scheme Sentenced to 19 Years in Jail
Two individuals involved in a large-scale human smuggling network, Dilshad Shamo, 41, and Ali Khdir, 40, have received 19-year prison terms. Their operation, which transported roughly 100 migrants to Europe weekly for two years, was likened to a “Tripadvisor for people smugglers” by the National Crime Agency (NCA). The pair ran the scheme from a car wash business in Caerphilly, south Wales, using a Middle Eastern money-transfer method known as Hawala banking to fund their activities.
Following a guilty plea during their trial, the men were brought before Cardiff Crown Court for sentencing. The judge noted their significant roles in a “sophisticated and successful” operation, which facilitated the movement of migrants from Iraq, Iran, and Syria through Belarus, Moldova, Bosnia, and into countries like Italy, Croatia, Romania, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Germany, and France.
Operated Like a Travel Agency
Derek Evans, NCA branch commander, described their methods as akin to a travel agency, where migrants were incentivized to rate their experiences via videos captured in lorries, boats, or social media platforms such as Telegram and TikTok. In one clip, a traveler commented, “How was the route, guys?” while another person nodded approval from the back of a truck. A family from Iran expressed gratitude in a video outside an airport, saying, “God bless you, we are very grateful.”
“Lorry route agreed with knowledge of the driver; here we have men, women and children – thank God the route was easy and good,” said a migrant in one of the recorded messages.
Their service offered three tiers: platinum, gold, and bronze. Platinum included fake passports and air travel, costing £10,000 to £25,000. Gold tier involved sea crossings, priced between £8,000 and £10,000, while bronze, the most basic option, ranged from £3,000 to £5,000 and relied on heavy goods vehicles or small boats across the Channel.
The NCA estimated that the pair may have transported thousands of migrants into and across Europe over two years, generating substantial profits. However, much of their earnings remain unrecovered due to the anonymous nature of Hawala banking. This system allows transactions without physical or electronic movement of cash, making it challenging for law enforcement to trace funds. Payments are often processed through coded transfers, with intermediaries collecting fees at different stages of the journey.
Evans highlighted that their operation was “largely untraceable” and that the money was funneled through Iraq, leaving minimal assets in the UK. He added, “Most of that money is still in Iraq or Kurdistan.” While Hawala banking serves legitimate purposes, such as helping individuals without bank accounts send money abroad, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) warns of its appeal to criminals. The agency encourages operators to register for anti-money laundering oversight to combat such practices.
