Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Smuggling Nearly 3800 People and Receiving Over N20 Billion

• An Egyptian fisherman has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for orchestrating a £12 million human trafficking operation, smuggling nearly 3,800 migrants across the Mediterranean
• UK-based Ahmed Ebid exploited vulnerable individuals for profit, bribing officials and ordering threats of violence as part of his smuggling network
• His conviction marks a significant moment in Britain's fight against illegal migration, exposing the dangers migrants faced in dangerously overcrowded boats

An Egyptian fisherman has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for orchestrating a £12 million illegal boat crossing operation, smuggling thousands of migrants from North Africa to Italy.

According to BBC, Ahmed Ebid, 42, was involved in trafficking nearly 3,800 people between October 2022 and June 2023, according to the National Crime Agency (NCA). Some of the migrants ultimately made their way to Britain.

Ebid is the first person in the UK to be convicted for smuggling migrants across the Mediterranean from Africa to Italy, a crime that has long posed serious humanitarian concerns.

History and legal status in the UK

After spending five years in an Italian prison for attempted drug smuggling, Ebid arrived in the UK via a small boat in 2022.

Seeking asylum, he found himself in legal limbo, with no decision made on his application. His conviction now means he will almost certainly face deportation once his sentence is served.

Despite his criminal background, Ebid had been living in Home Office-funded accommodation in south-west London with his wife and sons before his arrest.

His sentencing at Southwark Crown Court revealed the ruthless nature of his operations, with Judge Adam Hiddleston stating that Ebid exploited desperate migrants purely for financial gain.

Human trafficking and ruthless exploitation

Judge Hiddleston condemned the treatment of migrants under Ebid’s operation, describing it as "horrifying."

He emphasized that the smuggling was a purely commercial enterprise with an immense risk to human life, noting, “These were fishing boats, not ferries.”

Ebid played a managerial role at a high level within the smuggling network, bribing officials and threatening migrants with violence.

Evidence presented in court indicated that he even instructed an associate to kill and discard migrants caught with their phones to avoid law enforcement detection.

Following his sentencing, Ebid protested from the dock, claiming the verdict was "unfair" and stating that he had been saving money to bring his family to the UK.

Meanwhile, a female relative of Ebid broke down in tears in the public gallery.

Investigation and arrest

Italian security services initiated an investigation into satellite phones used by migrants attempting Mediterranean crossings from Libya to Europe, particularly Italy.

Authorities discovered that some of these devices, which were used to contact the Italian coastguard, had also been linked to a British mobile number. This number was traced back to Ebid.

The NCA subsequently bugged Ebid’s home, uncovering evidence of his involvement in numerous smuggling operations. His network transported thousands of men, women, and children on dangerously overcrowded fishing vessels.

Ebid’s Facebook profile identified him as “Captain Ahmed,” and notebooks found in his home contained navigational details for crossings along with financial records.

Statement on the conviction

Ebid had admitted to facilitating illegal immigration to the EU—a crime under UK law—but contested the significance of his role. The NCA’s investigation, however, confirmed that he held a managerial position within the smuggling network.

Jacque Beer, regional head of investigation at the NCA, described Ebid’s actions as exploitative, stating, “Ebid was part of a crime network who preyed upon the desperation of migrants to ship them across the Mediterranean in death-trap boats.”

Beer highlighted the cruelty of Ebid’s operation, noting his willingness to throw migrants into the sea if they did not comply with his rules. “To him, they were just a source of profit,” he said.

People smugglers use TikTok to promote their services

Legit.ng earlier reported that a photo posted to TikTok shows a group of people dressed in camouflage, hoping to blend into the shadowy vegetation dotting the nighttime landscape of the Mexican desert.

The picture was not uploaded by social media influencers on an adventurous vacation -- it's an advertisement by people smugglers. Technology-savvy criminals using the popular video-sharing app are posing a growing challenge to Mexican and US authorities fighting a regional migration crisis.

Source: Legit.ng