A people smuggler who referred to migrants as "chickens" has been jailed for just over 10 years for his role in arranging illegal crossings to the UK.
Ramal Briem worked with other gang members to transport people, including six who were brought to Burton upon Trent in Staffordshire in the back of a lorry in March 2024.
The 33-year-old Iraqi national came to the UK illegally by small boat in 2020, after which he claimed asylum. He got involved in the people smuggling network following financial struggles, the National Crime Agency said.
Briem pleaded guilty to conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration at Wolverhampton Crown Court in October 2024.
Sentencing him earlier at Worcester Crown Court, Judge Andrew Lockhart KC suggested that Briem, who had been living in Wolverhampton, was also deported after his sentencing was complete.
The judge said it was hard to imagine "a more serious example of a people trafficker".
"You were part of an organised crime group (OCG) bringing significant numbers of immigrants from across the globe," he said.
"Victims found themselves threatened, abused and placed at huge risk…you and the people you work with would prey on them."
The main evidence for the case came from seized mobile phones, with messages between Briem and another gang member known as "Kevin".
They discussed the movement of people they referred to as "chickens" waiting for illegal crossings in northern France.
Briem said in one exchange that if he received "20 chickens, two of them were free".
Prosecutor Cathlyn Orchard told the court that Briem also used a boat emoji in the messages.
This breaking news story is being updated.
Follow BBC Wolverhampton & Black Country on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Related internet links
LATEST POSTS
- 1
Cells have more mini ‘organs’ than researchers thought − unbound by membranes, these rogue organelles challenge biology’s fundamentals - 2Parents speak out as 4-year-old fights button battery injury in intensive care unit
- 3Director Emerald Fennell explains why "Wuthering Heights" has quotation marks around the title
- 4Why home maintenance deserves a spot in the annual health and budget plans
- 5Like many holiday traditions, lighting candles and fireplaces is best done in moderation
- 6 Hints to Upgrade Your Appeal, In addition to Your Outlook
- Watch Rocket Lab launch Japanese technology-demonstrating satellite to orbit tonight
- Damaged launch pad: How long before Russia can send astronauts to the ISS again?
- Best Exciting ride: Which One Rushes You the Most?
- The most effective method to Promoter for Cutthroat Medical attendant Compensations in Your Medical services Office
- Figurine of a woman and a goose offers peek at prehistoric beliefs
- ‘Extraordinary’ Iron Age war trumpet uncovered in England
- Watch live as near-Earth asteroid Eros buzzes the Andromeda Galaxy on Nov. 30 (video)
- Colleges say foreign students feel 'unwelcome' in the U.S. amid big drop in international enrollment, new survey finds
