An Indian man has been sentenced to more than five years in prison after admitting his role in a smuggling network that transported migrants hidden in trucks from Britain to France. Jaskirat Singh, 25, from Wolverhampton, was sentenced at Canterbury Crown Court after pleading guilty to conspiracy to assist illegal immigration, the BBC reported.The court heard that Singh played a central role in coordinating cross-Channel smuggling journeys, arranging transport and logistics for migrants hidden in heavy goods vehicles bound for France.Evidence recovered from Singer’s phone linked him to the operation, including messages arranging trips, videos showing large amounts of cash and a TikTok account that appeared to promote the border crossing.Prosecutors also relied on a voice recording in which Singer claimed he had been involved in the smuggling network for four years and helped transport about 60 people a week to France for nine months.Judge Alison Russell said the operation appeared to involve a group of up to 15 people who were hidden in lorries and transported across the English Channel. She told the court that Singh acted as a coordinator and logistics manager within the network and that the crimes were committed to obtain substantial financial gain.Investigators believe Singh made more than £185,000 through the scheme, the court heard.Sentencing him, Judge Russell said the migrants were being transported in unsafe and cramped conditions that put them at serious risk. She added that children may also be among those transferred during the operation.The smuggling plot came to light in December 2024 when 11 Indian nationals were found hiding in the trailer of a truck parked in Dover. Investigators later linked Singh to that incident and another border crossing attempt, leading police to his address in Wolverhampton.Peter Cockerill, District Attorney for the South East Crown Prosecution Service, said Singh played a key role in a criminal enterprise that put vulnerable people at risk.He said: “Jaskirat Singh was a significant player in organized criminal immigration operations, putting individuals at serious risk to their financial interests.”Defense lawyer Talbir Singh KC told the court that Singh moved with his family from India to Italy when he was 18 and worked legally in the country before moving to the UK. He argued that Singer was not the mastermind behind the operation but acted under the leadership of others involved in the conspiracy.The Crown Prosecution Service said it will now seek a confiscation order to recover funds believed to have been obtained from the smuggling operation.
