Overview
- Ramal Briem, 33, was sentenced Thursday to 10 years and two months at Worcester Crown Court after pleading guilty to assisting unlawful immigration.
- The investigation opened up after French extradition officers arrested an alleged UK-based boss in April 2024 and his phone revealed Briem’s chats dating to September 2023.
- Messages showed the group called migrants “chickens” and set a price of £1,500 per person, with deals discussed for larger numbers waiting near Dunkirk.
- The CPS said the network moved Vietnamese nationals on work visas through eastern Europe into France, then sent them by small boats or hidden in lorries to the UK, a route that can leave people in debt and at risk of exploitation.
- The NCA linked Briem to a March 2024 lorry drop of six people in Burton-on-Trent, and related suspects, including a contact known as “Kevin,” now face extradition to France as wider inquiries continue.