"“You put your money here. If your friends reach [the UK], you shouldn't come back,” we were told at the mobile phone store in Woolwich. Our three-month investigation gives insight into how smugglers appear to be using UK companies' bank accounts to facilitate small-boat crossings - something a leading expert in criminal finance told us he had not seen before.”"
"“As well as the phone shop, the smuggler in France provided the bank account details of two UK-registered companies, which he said could both take electronic transfers for migrant crossings. One is a wholesale business in Newcastle upon Tyne, the other is a car wash in Cambridgeshire.”"
"“The smuggler, who called himself Ahmad, also provided details of several businesses in Europe where payments could be made in cash, including a car wash in Antwerp, Belgium, and a restaurant in Paris, France. He also shared bank details of several individuals in the UK and mainland Europe who, he said, could receive payments.”"
"“It is a concern that... people feel sufficiently confident they can be out in the open.”"
People smugglers directed migrants to pay for illegal Channel crossings through a network of UK-registered businesses. A mobile phone shop in south-east London accepted cash deposits and provided instructions tied to smuggling operations. A smuggler in France supplied bank account details for UK-registered companies that could receive electronic transfers, including a wholesale business and a car wash. Additional payment options were provided in Europe, including cash payment locations such as a car wash in Antwerp and a restaurant in Paris. Bank details were also shared for individuals in the UK and mainland Europe who could receive payments. The operation appeared confident and conducted with a brazen level of openness.
Read at www.bbc.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]