Channel crossing: Up to 6 years in prison for Afghan smugglers

Nine Afghans were sentenced in Paris to eight months suspended prison terms and fines of 1,000 euros, six years in prison and fines of 30,000 euros. The men, aged 21 to 39, with clean records, are suspected of having contributed in varying degrees to the setting up of the 53 migrants’ inflatable rafts attempted since April 11.

Mainly Vietnamese and Afghans, these people embarked on four nights from beaches in northern France in January, February and March 2021. All were rescued in French or English waters.

“Danger to People”

A 30-year-old man deemed to have played a “dominant role” was given the harshest sentence on Wednesday, including a permanent ban from the territory. During the trial, he challenged, with the help of an interpreter, this “leader” character admitted to carrying and unloading equipment “twice, three times”. On Tuesday, the prosecutor had sought sentences ranging from a one-year suspended prison sentence and a 2,000-euro fine to eight years and a 50,000-euro fine.

Noting a “pyramid scheme” with a “transparent distribution of roles”, he admitted that “very little money” had been seized in the investigation, but he described it as a “particularly lucrative operation” at the start of “between 1500 and 4000 euros”. ” per person. The defense specifically pointed out that the defendants had fled their country during the war and the Taliban regime and were themselves in a very dangerous situation.

“Life Crime”

“We believe it’s a very structured, professional, very profitable file” but “we’re clearly in a living crime,” pleaded Alexia Gavini to me, speaking of “relatively modest profits.”

Referring to a file as “a drop of water” compared to the tens of thousands of people attempting the dangerous crossing in 2022, he also underlined that Great Britain “has chosen to significantly tighten immigration policy: the effect is exponential”. Increase in Passes.”

(AFP)Show comments