Saifur Rahman Ahmedzai

Saifur Rahman Ahmedzai, a 24-year-old Afghan national also known as Raees Hamza, from Nash Green in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, was extradited to Belgium following his conviction for involvement in a brutal people smuggling operation that included heinous sexual offences against vulnerable migrants.

The gang, of which Ahmedzai was a key member, facilitated the transportation of thousands of migrants from Afghanistan through Iran, Turkey, and the Balkans into Western Europe, with many subsequently crossing the English Channel in small boats from northern France to the UK. Belgian prosecutors revealed that the operation was marked by extreme cruelty, particularly towards children and other vulnerable individuals at their most desperate.

In addition to smuggling, the gang committed sexual offences, including rape against male migrant minors. These assaults were videoed and used to blackmail the victims, coercing them into criminal activities and further sexual abuse. The National Crime Agency (NCA) highlighted the shocking nature of these acts in a joint investigation with Belgian law enforcement.

In November 2024, a court in Antwerp convicted Ahmedzai, along with 21 other gang members, in their absence. Ahmedzai was sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment and fined 3,000 Euros. He was arrested in Hemel Hempstead on 30 December 2024 and extradited to Belgium in June of the previous year to serve his sentence.

Former Home Secretary Yvette Cooper described the case as 'nothing short of sickening', emphasising the 'extreme cruelty on the migrants they smuggled – some of them children – when they were at their most vulnerable'. NCA National Extradition Unit head Andy Kelly stated: 'This gang operated across the globe and piled misery on migrants they transported, all for the sake of making a profit. Many of these people would have been extremely vulnerable, which makes it all the more shocking that disgraceful sexual offences were committed against some of them. Our joint investigation with Belgian law enforcement is another example of international action succeeding against a global threat. These extraditions display a very strong message that work to disrupt and dismantle the gangs behind this horrendous trade will never slow down.'

The case underscores ongoing international efforts to combat transnational organised crime networks exploiting migrants.