A gang fronted by a Kent career criminal have been found guilty of smuggling Afghan migrants into the UK using a lorry.
Two men came onto the radar of National Crime Agency (NCA) officers in July 2019 when they were seen by National Crime Agency (NCA) officers meeting up with Folkestone-based Freddy Lawrence.
Twelve people, including one child, were found in the back of a truck. Picture: NCA
The 59-year-old, of Woodfield Close, was already the subject of another separate NCA investigation, which would later lead to him being given a seven-and-a-half-year sentence for people smuggling in January 2025.
Officers followed Mark Youell, 69, from Clacton, and Carl Bailey, 52, after they met with Lawrence and were able to establish they were in contact with father and son Rohit and Surjeet Chawla, from London, to arrange the smuggling of a group of Afghan Sikh migrants in a lorry operated by the gang.
Both Chawlas had previous convictions for people smuggling.
In September 2019, NCA and Metropolitan Police officers moved in on the lorry after it arrived at Osterley Cricket Club in west London.
Twelve people, including one child, were found in the back of the vehicle, which contained a specially constructed concealment behind a false bulkhead.
Evidence later showed the Chawlas were in the same area of Osterley at the time, and a SIM card found behind the false bulkhead in the lorry had been used to contact them.
Folkestone’s Freddy Lawrence has been described as a career criminal. Picture: NCA
Terry Brewer has been found guilty of conspiring to facilitate illegal immigration. Picture: NCA
The truck had travelled from Purfleet to France the previous day, returning via the Channel Tunnel to Folkestone.
Gang member Terry Brewer, 51, acted as a go-between between those driving the lorry and Bailey.
Over the coming days Bailey, Youell and the Chawlas remained in phone contact and later met in person, before being arrested after receiving a carrier bag containing £65,000 cash – payment for organising the facilitation.
The Chawlas were arrested in May and October 2020. Surjeet Chawla died in December 2022, before he could stand trial.
Bailey pleaded guilty to conspiring to facilitate illegal immigration and money laundering, but the other members of the gang denied the charge.
On May 27, following a trial at the Old Bailey, a jury found Youell guilty of conspiring to facilitate illegal immigration and money laundering.
Mark Youell has been found guilty of conspiring to facilitate illegal immigration and money laundering. Picture: NCA
Carl Bailey pleaded guilty to conspiring to facilitate illegal immigration and money laundering. Picture: NCA
Yesterday (June 3), a jury found Rohit Chawla and Brewer guilty of conspiring to facilitate illegal immigration. A date for sentencing will be set at a further hearing on June 10.
The jury failed to reach a verdict in the case of a fifth defendant.
Separately, in 2021 Youell was convicted of conspiring to import class A drugs following a different NCA investigation.
NCA regional head of investigations, Jacque Beer, said: “This gang saw an opportunity to make money out of the desperation of others, using a vehicle that had been specially adapted to conceal people or commodities.
“They clearly did not care about the safety or security of the men, women and children they were transporting, just seeing them as an extra way to make more money.
“Tackling organised immigration crime remains a top priority for the NCA, and we are working with partners in the UK and abroad to target, disrupt and dismantle the criminal networks involved, wherever they operate.”
Rohit Chawla has been found guilty of conspiring to facilitate illegal immigration. Picture: NCA
How the rear of the lorry looked when discovered by NCA officers. Picture: NCA
The seized cash discovered by officers. Picture: NCA
Giorgina Venturella, from the CPS, added: “Thanks to the NCA’s investigation, the prosecution was able to present phone records showing how these men worked together and track their journey to and from France.
“Those involved in organised immigration crime cannot evade detection by using burner phones or changing numbers.
“The evidence in this case shows how law enforcement can piece together their activities.
“The CPS will continue to work with partners at home and overseas to bring those involved in organised immigration crime to justice.”