21 defendants convicted in major international people trafficking conspiracy

Faye Rolfe has concluded the prosecution of an international people trafficking conspiracy, resulting in convictions for all defendants and combined sentences of more than 84 years’ imprisonment.

Faye, led by Rebecca Austin of 3 Pump Court, prosecuted five men who stood trial at Canterbury Crown Court. Earlier guilty pleas from others involved in the conspiracy brought the total number of defendants to 21.

The case followed a complex National Crime Agency investigation into organised immigration crime. The defendants at trial were involved in the transport for gain of would-be migrants to lorries waiting in Kent.

The investigation led to the interception of 10 lorries carrying people seeking to exploit the tourist visa system to gain entry to the wider Schengen area. In total, more than 250 people, including women and children, were transported as part of the conspiracy. Each had paid around £1,400 to be smuggled in dangerous conditions, concealed among pallets, machinery and other heavy goods.

Faye has a busy practice prosecuting and defending serious and organised crime, fraud and complex criminal cases and is a CPS Grade 3 advocate in Serious & Organised Crime. She was instructed by Specialist Prosecutor Marko Brooke of the CPS Serious Economic, Organised Crime and International Directorate.